Casual and temporary workers are workers who have been employed on a “work when needed” basis. Workers in jobs where work can’t be guaranteed because of outside influences like the weather or demand for goods (such as fruit picking and relieving for permanent staff) are often temporary or casual.

A causal employee can’t expect to have work beyond the day worked. The job has no guarantee of regular or permanent employment. However, it is important to remember that if you are working on a casual basis, you are still entitled to be treated fairly and to receive many of the entitlements of a permanent worker.

In some cases the Courts have confirmed that casual employment can change into permanent employment, depending on the circumstances.

This can happen where a worker started employment as a casual worker but ended up working regular hours over a reasonable period of time, to the point where they had a reasonable expectation that their position has become permanent.