If you’re a small medical business or startup, you probably employ at least one or two casual workers. After all, younger Australians often find one of their first jobs as part of the medical industry, in pharmacies or medical assistants. It’s an important part of their first few steps into the world of work, enabling students (both at secondary and tertiary institutions) the flexibility to both work and learn at the same time.
However, new laws that will require employers to enable their casual staff to be redefined as permanent after six months of regular work for the same employer.
The initial proposal
Multiple unions are calling for this major change to affect every industry across Australia, from manufacturing to medical, due to reported abuses of casual staff and their legal employment definitions.
The Sydney Morning Herald in a March 14 article describes one example of this reported abuse. Melbourne crane and forklift operator David Kubli described how he is a full time worker in all but name:
“I am expected to be there five days a week, eight hours a day, 52 weeks a year,” he said.
“As a casual they can just walk us out the gate any time.”
Proponents have also argued that Australia has “casualised” a great deal and steps must be taken to protect this increased proportion of the workforce.
The industry backlash
However, many industry bodies have criticised the move, including Ai Group, which is representing the employer’s side of the debate with the Fair Work Commission. It argues that casualisation has not increased in Australia and that any changes to current laws will result in many casual staff simply being laid off.
Casual employment is important for Australian industry, from medical accounting to retail. Time will tell if these proposed changes will come into effect, and whether or not they will result in what proponents describe.