When you’re looking at entry-level jobs, you’ll see both “casual” and “part-time” in job listings, often used as if they mean the same thing. They don’t. The difference matters, especially when it comes to what you’re legally entitled to.
What casual employment means
A casual employee has no guaranteed hours. Your employer can offer you shifts, and you can accept or decline them. There’s no set roster, or if there is, it can change at short notice.
In exchange for this uncertainty, casual employees get a casual loading added to their pay rate. This is currently 25% on top of the base award rate. So if the base rate is $20/hour, as a casual you’d earn $25/hour. The loading is meant to compensate for the fact that you don’t get paid sick leave, annual leave, or guaranteed hours.
Casual employees also generally don’t have to give notice when leaving, and employers don’t have to give notice before ending the arrangement (subject to some protections introduced in recent Fair Work changes).
Good for: Flexibility, higher hourly rate, fitting around school or study
Not so good for: Unpredictable income, no paid sick leave, no guaranteed shifts
What part-time employment means
Part-time employees work regular, agreed hours, fewer than a full-time employee, but the hours are consistent and predictable. You might work three days a week, or five mornings, or whatever’s been agreed.
Because you have set hours and ongoing employment, part-time employees get the same entitlements as full-time employees, pro-rated for the hours worked. That includes paid annual leave (4 weeks per year, pro-rated), paid sick leave, public holiday pay, and notice when employment ends.
The trade-off is that the hourly rate is lower than casual, because those entitlements are built into the package rather than the loading.
Good for: Reliable income, leave entitlements, predictable schedule
Not so good for: Less flexibility, generally lower hourly rate
Which one should you choose?
It depends on your situation.
If you’re finishing school and your schedule is unpredictable, casual can work well. You take shifts when they suit you and you’re not locked into a roster.
If you want stability and you know you can commit to regular hours, part-time is often better. You build a proper employment relationship, you accumulate leave, and you’re more likely to grow within the business.
Some employers will also convert you from casual to part-time after a period of regular work, especially under Fair Work’s casual conversion rules. If you’ve been working regular, predictable hours as a casual for 12 months or more, you may be entitled to request conversion to permanent employment.
A note on your pay
Whether you’re casual or part-time, your employer must pay you at least the minimum rate set by the relevant Fair Work Modern Award for your industry. Not sure what award applies to your job? Check the Fair Work pay calculator at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.
Understanding how your employment works is part of starting well. So is finding the right job in the first place. RooKi matches you to entry-level roles based on your assessment results, whether you’re after casual shifts or something more consistent.