Work Information

What’s the difference between casual, part-time, and full-time work?

Understanding the difference between casual, part-time, and full-time employment matters because each type comes with different entitlements, expectations, and levels of job security. The distinction affects everything from how much you're paid per hour to whether you get sick leave, and it's worth knowing what you're signing up for before you accept a job offer.

Full-time employment

Full-time employees typically work 38 hours per week, though this can vary slightly depending on the industry award or enterprise agreement. You'll have set hours and days, receive paid annual leave (usually four weeks per year), paid sick and carer's leave (typically ten days per year), and other entitlements like long service leave if you stay with the employer long enough.

Full-time employees also have greater job security. Your employer can't just decide to give you fewer hours next week, and if they want to let you go, they need to provide notice (or pay you instead of working that notice period). The notice period depends on how long you've worked there, ranging from one week for less than a year of service to four weeks if you've been there for more than five years.

The trade-off is less flexibility. You can't generally decide to take a week off whenever you feel like it, and you're expected to be available during standard business hours. Your hourly rate will be lower than casual rates because your pay includes the value of your leave entitlements built in.

Part-time employment

Part-time employees work regular hours each week, but fewer than full-time (anything under 38 hours). You might work three days a week, or five shorter days – the key feature is that your hours are regular and predictable. You receive all the same entitlements as full-time employees, just calculated on a pro-rata basis.

For example, if you work three days a week (roughly 60% of full-time hours), you'd receive 60% of the annual leave and sick leave entitlements that a full-time employee gets. You'd accrue 2.4 weeks of annual leave per year instead of four weeks. Your hourly rate is the same as a full-time employee doing the same work, and you receive the same protections around notice periods and job security.

Part-time work offers a middle ground between the security of full-time employment and the flexibility many people need. It's popular with students, parents, and people managing other commitments, because you have guaranteed hours and entitlements without being locked into full-time availability.

Casual employment

Casual employees don't have guaranteed hours and can generally have their shifts changed or cancelled without much notice. In exchange for this lack of security and the absence of paid leave, you receive casual loading – typically an extra 25% on top of the base hourly rate.

This means if a permanent employee earns $20 per hour, you'd earn $25 per hour for doing the same work. That extra $5 is meant to compensate you for not getting paid annual leave or sick leave, and for the uncertainty of not knowing how many hours you'll work next week.

Casual employment offers maximum flexibility. If you're offered shifts you can't work, you can generally say no without consequence (though consistently refusing shifts might mean you're offered fewer in future). This flexibility makes casual work popular with students who need to prioritise study during exam periods, or people juggling multiple jobs.

The downside is the lack of security and predictability. You might work 30 hours one week and five hours the next, which makes budgeting difficult. If you're sick, you don't get paid. If the business is quiet, your hours might be cut. And your employer can end your employment without notice at any time.

From casual to permanent

If you've been working as a casual employee on a regular pattern of hours for 12 months, you might have the right to request conversion to permanent employment (either part-time or full-time, depending on your hours). Your employer can only refuse this request on specific reasonable grounds.

Whether conversion is a good idea depends on your circumstances - you'll lose the casual loading when you convert, but you'll gain paid leave and job security. For some people, the security and leave entitlements are worth more than the higher casual rate. For others, particularly students who need flexibility, staying casual makes more sense.

Which type is best?

There's no universal answer. Full-time employment offers the most security and best benefits, but requires the greatest commitment. Casual work offers flexibility and higher hourly rates, but comes with uncertainty. Part-time work sits in the middle, offering security with some flexibility.

Your choice depends on your life stage and priorities. If you're studying full-time, casual work might make sense because you can refuse shifts during exam periods. If you need stable income to pay rent, part-time or full-time work with guaranteed hours might be essential. If you're building a career in a field, full-time employment usually offers better opportunities for advancement and professional development.

Whatever type of employment you accept, make sure you understand your entitlements and that your employer is meeting their obligations. Check your payslips to ensure you're being paid correctly for your employment type, and don't hesitate to seek advice from the Fair Work Ombudsman in Australia or Employment NZ in Aotearoa New Zealand if something doesn't seem right.

Still curious? Read more about the world of work on our website here.