What casuals give up
- 4 weeks paid annual leave (often with 17.5% leave loading)
- 10 days paid personal/carer’s leave a year
- Paid public holidays, notice of termination and redundancy pay
In exchange casuals receive a loading of at least 25%. After 6 months (12 months for small business) a casual can request conversion to permanent if they work regular hours.
FAQ
Is 25% casual loading worth it?
Roughly, it pays off if you would take fewer than about 10 unpaid weeks off a year at the same hours.
Sources (checked 6 November 2026): Fair Work Act 2009 (National Employment Standards); Fair Work Ombudsman, Casual employees.