Full-time employees

Full-time employees work an average of 38 hours each week. They’re usually employed permanently or on a fixed term contract.

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Full-time employment

Full-time employees are usually employed on a permanent basis or on a fixed term contract.

A full-time employee usually works an average of 38 ordinary hours a week.

Hours of work for a full-time employee may be different depending on the job or industry.

A full-time employee’s actual hours of work in a particular job or industry may be:

To learn more, visit Hours of work.

Minimum entitlements and conditions

Full-time employee get their minimum entitlements from the National Employment Standards. This includes:

Minimum entitlements and employment conditions for full-time employees can also come from an enterprise agreementAn enterprise agreement sets out minimum employment conditions and can apply to one business or a group of businesses. or awardAn award is a legal document that outlines the wages and conditions of employment for employees that are covered by it within a particular industry or occupation. Other known term: modern award..

Example: Leave entitlements for full-time employees

Emily is a full-time employee. She works an average of 38 hours, 5 days a week.

Emily gets 10 days of sick and carer’s leave and 20 days of annual leave each year. She also gets other paid leave entitlements under the National Employment Standards like compassionate leave.

Joey is Emily’s workmate who is a casual employee. Joey gets a higher pay rate which includes a casual loading. Joey doesn’t get paid leave like Emily because they’re a casual employee.

Changing from full-time employment to part-time or casual

An employer and an employee may agree to change an employee's full-time job to:

Different rules apply when an employer seeks to change an employee’s employment type without the employee agreeing. Learn more about When the employee doesn’t agree to change.

Agreeing to change to part-time employment

An employer and an employee may agree to change an employee's full-time job to part-time.

When there’s an agreed change from full-time to part-time, the employee keeps any leave they have accumulated, such as annual leave or sick and carer’s leave.

For more information on part-time employee entitlements, visit Part-time employees.

Agreeing to change to casual employment

An employer and an employee may agree to change an employee's full-time job to casual.

When there’s an agreed change from full-time to casual, employers should confirm what rules apply to their situation and ensure they comply with them. This includes rules about:

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 the employee's agreement in limited circumstances.

Factors that employers must consider before making this change include:

  • whether the enterprise agreement, award or employment contract lets the employer change the employee’s work hours without the employee agreeing
  • if the change makes a new employment contract or changes an existing contract
  • what entitlements, such as annual leave or redundancy, need to be paid out
  • how much notice the employer needs to give the employee.

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.

Employers should carefully consider their specific circumstances, including any terms in an applicable award, agreement or employment contract before making this change. There can be consequences for employers that unlawfully change an employee’s employment from full-time to part-time or casual.

To learn more, visit Protections at work.

Our role at the Fair Work Ombudsman

We’re unable to provide advice about employment contracts, including changing from full-time to part-time or casual. For tailored advice about your situation, you may need to seek legal advice.

Source reference for page: Fair Work Act 2009 sections 86, 95, 106A, 117

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