GTA 6 launch day: Australia's Fair Work Ombudsman explains your leave
Australia's workplace watchdog posted a GTA VI-themed guide to getting November 19 off when you're out of paid leave. Short answer: ask your boss early.
GTA VI hype has reached a government agency. On October 7, 2026, Australia's Fair Work Ombudsman, the body that oversees workplace rights, posted an Instagram guide, illustrated with art from the game, for workers hoping to take November 19 off. The scenario it starts from will be familiar to plenty of players: what if you've already used up your paid leave?
The leave options it walks through
The slides go through the unpaid leave types in Australia's National Employment Standards, with tongue firmly in cheek:
Leave type | What it covers | Good for GTA VI? |
|---|---|---|
Carer's leave | Up to 2 days unpaid to care for a sick or injured family member | Probably not |
Community service leave | Voluntary emergency work, such as the SES | Probably not either |
Parental leave | Up to 12 months unpaid for a new child | No, a video game doesn't count |
Agreed unpaid leave | Whatever you work out with your employer | Yes, if your boss says yes |
The bottom line is what you'd expect: you can ask for unpaid leave, but there's no minimum entitlement, so it's your employer's call. The Ombudsman's advice is to get your request in early, because you won't be the only one asking.
Outside Australia
These rules only apply to Australian workers; the US, UK and everywhere else have their own. In most places the realistic route is booking a day of annual leave well in advance. One thing that helps wherever you are: digital pre-loading starts on November 12, so if you've pre-ordered, you won't waste the day downloading.
Our take
It's a smart bit of public messaging: a government body uses the year's biggest launch to explain workplace rights many people don't know they have, with Jason and Lucia as the hook. It also shows the scale of the moment, since very few video games end up on a regulator's agenda. If you're still planning your launch day, here's what each edition includes.
