Important changes to casual employment laws (April 2021)

6 April 2021

Important changes have been made to Fair Work laws about the employment of casual employees.

The changes add a specific new Casual section to the National Employment Standards (NES) within the Fair Work Act.

Because the NES are 10 minimum employment entitlements that must be provided to all employees, all businesses should be aware of the changes to ensure they comply.

The new Casual NES consists of two main parts:

• A new, standard definition of ‘casual employee’; and
• New rules about ‘casual conversion’ that oblige employers to offer permanent employment eligible casual employees, in defined circumstances.

Employers will need to comply with the new Casual NES, with different rules and obligations applicable dependent on your business size.

Contact the Workplace Relations Team on 1300 30 50 10 to seek specific advice on how these changes apply to your business.