Full-time employees
Full-time employees usually work an average of 38 hours each week. They're usually employed on a permanent basis or on a fixed term contract.
On this page:
- What full-time employees get
- Changing from full-time to part-time or casual employment
- Tools and resources
- Related information
What full-time employees get
A full-time employee is entitled to paid leave, including:
- annual leave
- sick and carer’s leave
- family and domestic violence leave.
A full-time employee is usually entitled to written notice when their employment ends, or payment instead of notice.
The actual hours of work for a full-time employee in a particular job or industry are agreed between the employer and the employee. They could also be set by an award or registered agreement.
Changing from full-time to part-time or casual employment
When the employer and the employee agree to change
An employee and an employer may agree to end an employee’s full-time position and change to part-time or casual employment.
When changing from full-time or part-time to casual the usual rules for ending employment apply, including:
- giving or paying the employee the required notice
- paying out leave and any other entitlements owed.
When the employee doesn’t agree to change
An employer may be able to change an employee’s full-time employment to part-time or casual employment without agreement from the employee.
Important factors to consider are:
- does the employment contract, registered agreement or award let the employer change the employee’s work hours without the employee agreeing?
- does the change make a new employment contract or change an existing contract?
- what entitlements, such as annual leave or redundancy, need to be paid out?
- how much notice does the employer need to give the employee?
We’re unable to provide advice about employment contracts, including changes to an employee’s hours. You will need to seek legal advice to find out more about your situation.
An employer can’t change or end an employee’s employment:
- for a discriminatory reason
- because the employee has exercised a workplace right
- for another reason protected by law.
Read about Protections at work to find more.
