Casual workers doing full time short term contracted work

[mollywilliams]

Hi,

Just need some advice. (I am in QLD) and I have casual workers who are going to be backfilling on short term full time contracts for 1wk - 3wks at a time when full time workers are on leave. My question is - should they get paid at the full time rate of pay or their current casual rate of pay? What are the implications etc.
thanks

[Job Media]

Hi Molly,

Casual workers are normally paid a "loading" because they don't accrue any paid personal leave or annual leave.

The loading is normally in the range of 15%-25% of the permanent employee's hourly rate.

Assuming the casual employees are 18 years or older, if you are paying them more than $450 per month then you also need to make superannuation contributions on their behalf.

This is not formal advice!

[mollywilliams]

Thanks for your response I understand the difference between casual and getting the loading. My question is for the time they are on the contract, should their pay be dropped back to the full time rate or continue to be paid at the casual rate. (they are effectively doing full time work.

[Moz]

A "casual employee" is someone you employ for a limited period only, on an hourly or daily rate with no other entitlements (other than super), and there is no guarantee of ongoing employment.

It doesn't matter whether they work "full time", say 38 hours a week, or part time, say 20 hours per week, they are still a casual employee.

[mollywilliams]

ok great thank you. So just to clarify, if the company wanted to put them on the full time rate of pay, that wouldn't be the right thing to do? Thanks for your response Moz.

[Moz]

Assuming the "full time rate of pay" is the rate for permanent staff (who accrue paid leave etc), then the casual should be probably paid that rate PLUS 15%-25% loading.