Industrial relations changes mean many Australian employees are now entitled to two weeks’ “pandemic leave” for self-isolation.

Minister for Industrial Relations, Christian Porter, has announced changes to 103 of Australia's 121 existing employee awards.

The changes include “pandemic leave” for eligible employees to take two weeks' unpaid leave if they are required to self-isolate or otherwise are unable to work due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Employees will also be able to take double their accrued annual leave at half the pay.

“You can see how those common-sense changes would allow the flexibility in a number of businesses, where flexibility could well make the difference between survival of the business and preservation of the jobs or the failure of the business and the loss of the jobs,” Mr Porter said.

“It's probably fair to say that there has been the type of change in three weeks inside the award system that you might otherwise wait 30 years to see.

“The reform has been temporary. It is meant to last for as long as the crisis lasts.”

The new measures are effective immediately and due to expire on June 30, unless extended by the government.

Employees in the mining, sea fairing and construction industries are excluded from the award changes, as the Fair Work Commission says they are relatively unaffected by the pandemic.

More information is available from the Fair Work Commission.