From the first full pay period on or after 1 October 2018 regular casual employees are able to request that their employment be converted from casual employment to full time or part time work.

What is a ‘regular casual employee’?

Regular casual employees are defined as employees who have in the preceding 12 months worked a pattern of hours on an ongoing basis which the employee could without significant adjustment continue to perform as a full time or part time employee.

What is the procedure?

Employers will have to give notice of the right to convert before completion of the first 12 months’ work for new casual employees and for current employees by 1 January 2019.This means giving the employee a copy of clause 10.5 of the Pastoral Award 2010.

The employee must make a written request to the employer and the employer must consult with the employee and consider the request.

The employer may refuse the request on reasonable grounds.

Any refusal must be in writing within 21 days of the request being made and state the reasons.

Read more about casual conversion (inc. reasonable grounds, Pastoral Award clause 10.5)