Casual Conversion
Some casual employees must be offered casual conversion to permanent employment by their employers.
Only businesses with 15 or more employees are obligated to offer casual conversion if their employee meets these criteria:
- they have been employed by you for 12 months
- they have worked a regular pattern of hours in the last 6 months on an ongoing basis
- they could continue working that regular pattern of hours as a permanent employee without significant changes
An employer does not have to offer casual conversion if there are reasonable grounds not to.
Within 21 days from an employee’s 12-month anniversary, the employer must send the employee a letter in writing, either offering casual conversion, or the reasons why they are not offering casual conversion.
Small businesses are not obligated to offer casual conversion, however, employees are entitled to request it if they meet the previous criteria and during the last 6 months they have not:
- refused an offer of casual conversion
- been informed they will not receive an offer of casual conversion on reasonable grounds
- been refused a request for casual conversion on reasonable grounds
Reasonable grounds for refusal may include:
- the employee’s position won’t exist
- the employee’s hours of work will significantly change
- the employee’s days or times of work will significantly change, and that cannot be accommodated within the employee’s available days or times for work
When you hire a casual employee, you must provide them with a casual employment information statement. Download the most up-to-date copy using the button above.
If you have any questions please contact the Workplace Relations Team using the form below or call: (08) 8291 2000.
