Part Time vs. Casual (1 Viewer)

[Geezer28]

Hello all!

Well, I've only been at the new Woolies Springfield for about a week (it's only been open for two days, everything is shiny!) and I work in the Perishables department. Anyway, the Perishables Manager and 2IC walk up to me and ask me if I would like to transfer from Casual to Part Time. This was -totally- unexpected, because, well, at the time, I was filling shoestring chips into a freezer. I've got some time to think about it, so I thought I'd ask you guys. Anyway, I've been trying to weigh up the advantages and so far I've got this.

Part Time Advantages
- More job security than Casual
- Holiday Loading
- Set weekly hours AND shifts (?)
- 4 Weeks Paid Holidays and 11 Days sick leave

Casual Advantages
- Higher rate of pay by the hour than Part-Time
- Any others I can't think of?

I spoke to one of the HR Guys at my Store, and he told me the above. He said though, that while you're still at school, Casual is the way to go; but when you're at Uni, it's important to have a set timetable (which, he added, you can change in case of exams or subject changes anyway). And he told me that Part-Time and Casual sort of "balanced" each other out at the end of a year anyway, with the four weeks leave and eleven sick days, and holiday loading. But I'm not too sure. I want to know what you've got to say. I really need any advice you can give so, personal experiences (e.g. did you go from Casual to Part Time?) or opinions would be fantastic.

Thanks Guys!

 

[Skeeta]

Woolworths tries to do this to everyone, you get paid less and its easier for them, because the roster doesnt change every week.

Most people do it, because since so many people agree to being part time - the casuals never get any shifts.

 

[ZabZu]

You can get different types of casual employment where the roster system is completely different. You can be 'on call' where they call you when they need you. Or you can be given a set roster like the permanent staff.

I recently got a job at Coles and im starting off as a casual like most workers. As soon as they offer me a permanent part-time job im going to take it. The job security and the other benefits sound like a much better deal.

Be aware that the HR guys might try convince you to select the option that is most benefical for the business, not you.

 

[Geezer28]

To be perfectly honest, I'd be happy as a Casual if my roster didn't change every week. To know what days you're working each week would be absoulutley great for me. For example, this week I've been rostered on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (The four days I said I could work). However, next week I've been rostered on Wednesday (The day that I'm at uni from 8am-10pm, and I told them I couldn't work on) and only a couple of hours on Saturday - which, ironically, I am sitting an exam during at Uni. (Weekend exams suck balls). So, drastic changes in the timetabling.

So, do you think I should take the part-timership?

 

[cro_angel]

Well I am a casual at my store and because my manager loves me.. I can work whenever I want and she pretty much gives me the shifts I ask for.
The contracted people (particularly supervisors) never actually work their contracted shifts.. just the hours but at different times to what they are actually rostered on for.
I only really have this because I have been there 5 years and am a supervisor.. I also cannot hold down a contract due to uni and dancing commitments (as well as having a social life.. some fridays and saturdays i want to work but most of the time not).
If you do want the certainty of always having shifts, especially being new and establishing yourself, I would definately go for a contract. I'm also pretty sure your sick days and leave are on a pro-rata basis.. if you only do like 15 hours on a contract you won't have as much as someone working full time on a 35 hour contract.

 

[M-turkey]

I have worked as both casual and part-time (and am currently casual again and will try to stay that way).

As long as you are getting regular casual shifts, I'd stick with it.

If you go part-time you lose the casual loading (around 20%) and the benefits you again (sick leave, annual leave etc. ) don't make up that loss.

Set hours and shifts is nice, but if you're fairly flexible about when you work, its not really an issue.

Even if you're not getting the amount of hours you would like, just ask your manager/head of department, I do, and almost always get a whole lot of hours thrown at me where they're short.

 

[ianc]

It all depends on your employer. I have the option of going part-time or staying on a casual contract - my shifts are pretty much fixed, and I can ask for more or less hours, so I have stuck with being a casual.

However if you're one of those casuals that doesnt have pre-assigned shifts, and are only getting called in when someone is sick or if you have a really inflexible boss, part-time is the best.

With part-time, obviously you get those benefits like paid sick leave and holiday loading, but the way I see it as that these are really only important to people with financial commitments like a mortgage or families.

But for us students, casual is the best way to go because you get paid more (I think its 15% more than the part-time rate), and also if you find a better job you can pretty much just walk out without having to give like 2 weeks notice and everything.

So while it's much better for your boss if you're on part-time because they don't have to pay you as much, casual really is much more straightforward.

 

[Sarah168]

I'm a perm part timer but the rostering at my place drives me nuts. It's all over the place and NOBODY follows their contracts so I feel weird whinging about it.

Argh.

 

[Dan7]

I know this is Part Time vs. Casual but I'd like to discuss Full-Time vs. Casual in this same topic, as there are similarities which I will discuss.

As far as Part Time vs. Casual goes, if it was something like Woolworths or Coles I'd probably prefer to be casual.

I worked casual in an office for one and a half years before they offered me a full-time job. The hourly rate is not actually as low and it could have been because I got put on a higher level when I went full-time. My hourly rate is only about 40 cents less and I will end up getting more now because of holiday pay, public holidays and also the fact that I work more days. When I was casual if we weren't busy there was not point in the company calling me in to work. But now regardless of how busy we are I work five days a week. (We usually are pretty busy though).

So with the Part Time vs. Casual debate, you will find people who prefer to be Part Time and others who prefer to be Casual. Casual rates are good while Part Time offers more job security.

If you only want to be paid for work you do then casual is the way to go. But if you want to pick up cash for not working (holidays) then part time is the way to go. There are part-timers where I work although they are part-time by choice (as opposed to full-time).

But really if you want to have job security and a reliable income then I would say part time is better than casual. Because what happens if need to pay the bills and you're a casual and the company tells you not to come in this week?

For students still in either school or uni I think casual is ideal.

 

[fernando]

casual = more money (not by a significant amoutn either) but probably less shifts
part-time = less money than casual but proabaly more shifts + benefits

 

[Dan7]

Apparently my new job with Woolworths is part time. To be honest I'd rather be casual because of the higher rate. Less shifts would work better for me too since this is a secondary job.

 

[townie]

part-time is good for paid holidays and shit, but wreaks havoc with ur social life if u work w/ends

 

[Dan7]

Casual is much better because
a) You get everything up-front. When I work part-time I have to figure out how to use up all my sick time before I quit, otherwise it's just money that you're leaving behind. I'm curious to know how good Coles/Woolies are with granting you your sick hours.
b) Earn interest on the money that you get up-front
c) Quit without notice. While they can also fire you without notice, if you're employer is decent and you are completely incompetent, it won't happen.

I agree with you completely. I have a full-time job so I'd rather be casual for a second job and only get paid for working. My main reasons are points b and c. I don't want to give notice to quit.

 

[Peartie]

Im Part time

I dont mind it

at first i did but thats mainly because I was emploed as a casual....then at my 3 rd shift he just got me to sign something but didnt say i was going part time...so i didnt want 2 then BUT now...well its not 2 bad...im still earning close 2 200 a week and only working 14 hours


and anyway...i find set times are good and if i want more shifts I usually ask and get given them...so not only am i gauranteed shifts but i can also pick them up - better than a casual

tis all good

 

[MuffinMan]

I'd prefer (and currently am) to be part time so I don't have to come whenever they tell me to. Set times works well for me

 

[Ranger Stacie]

I prefer being casual because of the extra pay. I could be wrong, but would you get paid double time or whatever on public holidays etc if you are part time? If not I definitley wouldnt do it. the job security issue isnt a problem for me because we are busy (a coffeeshop) and theres always plenty of shifts. I also like being causal because I dont always get the same shifts on weekends, and I can request one of the days off so I can go out the night before. Although going to work with a hangover doesent bother me a great deal..

 

[Peartie]

Im part tine

i get only abt 2 or 3 dollars less per hour but get benefits like sick leave and annual leave. Also get 2.5times holiday pay on public holidays

 

[dodgyfilokid]

Im casual but my hours are pretty much fixed (Sat 8-5 and Sun 9:30-6) because the lady at work who used to work Saturday and Sunday doing register bag-ins and desk left so I end up doing it. Its not bad I must say and if I did go part time it would be disastrous because my schedule is soo flexible that part time just wont cut it for me. Being part time means no more rejecting shifts and also means that any shift I cant work gets taken out of my sick leave (or out of my annual leave within the first 6 months since we dont get sick leave straight away)..not to mention the pay is lower and the fact that I wont get called up anymore on holidays since the moment they do it its considered overtime thus makin them pay me overtime penalty plus the 2.5 times holiday penalty which totals into almost 3 times pay or more depending on how they calculate it

 

[Peartie]

this is what i dont get...people saying being PT is shite because of pay

its like 2 bucks an hour less, still get holiday pay rates + ypu get sick leave etc....anyways....i can call in sick and they dont take it out of my leave :S or is it just my store is 2 lazy to do it?

 

[jhakka]

this is what i dont get...people saying being PT is shite because of pay

its like 2 bucks an hour less, still get holiday pay rates + ypu get sick leave etc....anyways....i can call in sick and they dont take it out of my leave :S or is it just my store is 2 lazy to do it?

As above.

I'm a part timer, and I'm getting $0.90 less than I got in my old job as a casual (which had no benefits whatsoever). As townie said, it might be a bit bad for the social life, but I'm not really one for going out every weekend anyway. It depends on the hours you get given (if you do morning-mid afternoon on a weekend, it's not too bad).

I love part timing. Sick leave and holiday leave rock. If you go over the allocated leave, you don't get paid, but at the same time casual leave is 0 paid hours a year.