Casual Employment Changes

As part of the Fair Work Legislation Amendments (Closing Loopholes No.2). Act 2024, there will be changes to casual employment, effective 26 August 2024.

What is changing?

• How casual work is defined
• The pathway to permanent employment
• Employee and employer responsibilities

Under the new definition of ‘casual employee’ an employee is only casual if;

• There isn’t a firm advance commitment to continuing and indefinite work, taking into account a number of factors, including the real substance, practical reality and true nature of the employment relationship
• They are entitled to receive a casual loading or specific casual pay rate

Employees who start as a casual, will stay casual until their employment status changes either through:

• a conversion process or Fair Work Commission order, or
• accepting an alternative employment offer and starting work on that basis.

Changing from casual to permanent employment (Casual Conversion)

A new pathway will be introduced for eligible employees to change to permanent employment. Employees will be able to notify their employer of their intention to change to permanent employment if the employee:

• has been employed for at least 6 months (or 12 months if working for a small business employer)
• believes they no longer meet the requirements of the new casual employee definition.

If you have any questions regarding the new changes to casual employment, please contact the team at Key Business Advisors at 1300 4 ADVICE.

• Casual employment changes – Fair Work Ombudsman