So this may be a silly question but my employment history isn’t extensive so I’m unsure on the differences. I have a job interview next Friday for a position and they are hiring both part time and casual employees. If they ask for a preference I’m unsure on which one would be more beneficial. I’m a single parent with 100% care so thinking casual may be better with more flexibility but then part time would be more stable I think? Can anyone give me the pros and cons of each so I can weigh up on what I would prefer. Also it’s shift work so with casual I’d probably make more with casual loading and what not.
5 Replies
I'd go with part time over casual any day.
Yes, the casual pay rate is higher but you don't get any sick leave or annual leave. If you can't work for whatever reason, you simply lose a days pay.
There's also the inconsistency which is hard when you have small kids, I've been casual and been rostered on for one or no days during slow times, then I've been rostered on for 7 days straight during the peak.
At least with part time you know you work Mon - Thur as an example, you can then arrange childcare for those days and generally manage your life around your work days.
I think part time is better if you rely on daycare because you have more certainty over work hours, where casual it's not there. Even if they are good at regularly giving you the same hours there's nothing that forces them to do that, you could have 30 hours one week and 2 the next. Plus looking at all the casual workers that have been put off over the covid 19 period it's shown how easily expendable they are.
Part time! It will help you manage child care. It still allows you some freedom to pick up extra shifts if you want.
Also part time means they can’t just suddenly drop your hours and you get sick pay etc.
Part time it will be in your contract that you have a minimum amount of hours per fortnight. Casual you can get zero. You get paid more but that pro rata to on part time being paid sick leave, public holidays etc. Part time is more secure if you want to stay long term that's what you would go for.
Part time
I’ve been part time for over 12 years, I get holiday pay, public holiday paid, sick leave, long service leave. Job security too.