Casual employment

● Casual workers are paid for the number of hours worked and may be employed full-time or part-
time. The hourly rate is usually higher than for permanent workers because they are not entitled to
benefits such as holiday leave and sick leave, and do not have security of employment through a
workplace agreement. They may be paid special rates for working on weekends and public holidays.
Example1. The table below shows part of an award agreement for tradespersons in July 2013.

a) Tom is a permanently employed bricklayer who works a 35-hour week. Calculate his normal weekly
wages at award rates.
Tom’s wages = $20.89 × 35 = $731.15
b) Bob is a bricklayer who is employed at casual award rates for 35 hours a week.
Bob’s wages = $25.07 × 35 = $877.45
c) How much more than Tom does Bob earn?
$877.45 $731.15 = $146.30
Bob earns $146.30 more than Tom.
Example2. The table below shows the pay rates in $ per hour for casuals in a restaurant.

Calculate the wages of a casual waiter who works a total of 8 hours from Monday to Friday, and then 6
hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday.
Wages = $21.10 × 8 + $25.32 × 6 + $30.38 × 4 = $442.24

Exercise 3 (Casual work)

Use the table given below to answer questions 1 and 2
Q1. Emma is a sign writer who does casual work. How much does she earn in a week in which she works
the following hours?
Monday 3 hours, Tuesday 4 hours, Wednesday 3 hours, Friday 5 hours

Q2. Jack is a permanently employed roof tiler. Due to extra demand two casuals are employed to help him for
7 hours on each of 3 days. What is the wages bill for the two casuals?
Use the table given below to answer questions 3 and 4

Q3. Emily is employed as a casual kitchen hand for 3 hours on each day Monday to Saturday. Calculate her
wages.
Q4. Trent is a chef who works as a casual on Saturday for 6 hours and Sunday for 6 hours. Calculate his
wages.
The table below shows the casual Restaurant Award rates for Grade 1 juniors in $ per hour. Use the table to
answer questions 5 and 6.

Q5. Jenny is 19 years old and does casual work as a waitress. Calculate her wages for a week in which she
works 12 hours total from Monday and Friday, 5 hours on Saturday plus 3 hours on Sunday.
Q6. a) Ben is 18 years old and does casual work in a coffee shop. How much does he earn for working 4
hours on Saturday and 6 hours on Sunday?
b) Lara is 20 years old. How much would she earn for working the same hours as Ben?

Answers
1. $360.60 2. $1019.34 3. $379.44 4. $402.36 5. $452.88
6. a) $242.32 b) $296.24