Casual workers make up one quarter of Australia’s workforce, which is one of the highest rates in the world. That’s over 2.6 million people.
It means one quarter of Australian workers don’t receive a single cent of paid leave.
In theory, the current system compensates casual workers for the irregular nature of their work by paying a ‘casual loading’ on top of their hourly rate.
However, casual workers already have to deal with irregular hours, the prospect of having their employment terminated with no notice, and no guaranteed hours of work each week. Why should they also have to forfeit all paid leave entitlements?
The current system often forces casual workers to compromise their health, and miss important time with friends and family just to earn enough.
For many casual workers, this is not just a short-term inconvenience. Half of the casual workforce have been with their employer for over 12 months, and almost 200,000 of them have been with the same employer for over 10 years.
It also deepens gender inequality in the workplace and at home. Casual workers with caring responsibilities – who are overwhelmingly women – have to give up income when they unexpectedly have to provide care for a loved one.
That’s why the Greens are fighting for all casual workers to have access to:
- Sick leave
- Holiday leave
- Personal and carers' leave
Jurisdictions in other countries around the world like New Zealand and Canada have already legislated for better access to paid leave for casuals. It’s time Australia followed suit.
Join us in calling on the Labor Government to protect casual workers by ensuring they have fair access to paid leave.