What are the minimum hours for casual workers in hospitality

Hiring casual workers in hospitality is commonplace. In fact, about 64% of hospitality staff in Australia are on casual contracts, making it the sector with the highest percentage of casual employees in the country. Casual staff keep the industry running smoothly, especially during busy periods and peak seasons.

But how many hours can you roster them? Are there legal minimums? And what’s considered fair and practical? In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about casual minimum hours in hospitality, with tips for rostering and keeping your casual staff happy.

Award Rules You Need to Know for Hospitality Casuals

Under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020, here’s what you need to keep in mind when rostering casuals:

• Minimum shift length – Casuals must be given at least 2 consecutive hours of work each time they’re called in (clause 11.3). Even if you only need them for a 90-minute window, you’ll still need to pay for 2 hours.
• Maximum daily hours – A casual can work up to 12 hours in a single shift (clause 11.2a).
• Weekly hours – Casuals can work a maximum of 38 hours per week, or average 38 per week across a roster cycle of up to 4 weeks (clause 11.2b).
• Casual loading – Every casual person must be paid an extra 25% loading on top of the minimum hourly rate to compensate for not receiving annual leave or sick leave (clause 11.1).
• Overtime rules – If a casual worker works beyond the maximum daily or weekly hours, they must be paid at overtime rates (clause 11.5).
• Pay cycles – Unless both sides agree on weekly or fortnightly pay, casuals should be paid at the end of each engagement (clause 11.4).
• Casual conversion – After 12 months of regular work, casuals have the right to request conversion to permanent part-time or full-time employment (clause 11.6; NES, s66A–66MA).

These rules protect fairness. Short-changing staff on hours or rostering 12-hour marathons without breaks won’t just risk breaching the award, it’ll damage your team culture and make it harder to keep good people.

Why a 2-Hour Minimum Shift Exists

At first glance, the 2-hour minimum shift length might seem inconvenient for employers. After all, hospitality demand can be unpredictable, with sudden bursts of customers at certain times of day.

But from the worker’s perspective, the rule makes sense. Imagine being asked to commute 45 minutes each way for a 1-hour shift, by the time you factor in travel, uniform prep, and winding down, it hardly feels worth it. The minimum hours rule ensures casuals are given enough guaranteed pay to make their time worthwhile.

For businesses, this also encourages smarter rostering. Instead of splitting work into lots of tiny shifts, you’re incentivised to plan ahead and group tasks so staff hours are more efficient.

What’s “Fair” Beyond the Minimum?

While the law sets the baseline, hospitality businesses that want to attract and keep great casual staff often go further than the minimum. Here are a few fairness considerations:

• Avoid constant short shifts – Even though 2 hours is the legal minimum, rostering staff on nothing but 2-hour shifts can feel exploitative. Many hospitality venues set their own informal minimum of 3–4 hours to balance fairness with flexibility.
• Be transparent with rosters – Casuals value knowing their shifts in advance. Posting rosters late or frequently changing shifts last-minute can erode trust.
• Respect work-life balance – Casual workers often juggle multiple jobs or study. Offering consistent shift lengths and reasonable finish times makes you a more attractive employer.
• Offer longer shifts during peak – On busy nights, many staff would prefer a longer shift so they can maximise earnings. Don’t always default to the shortest legal option.

Practical Rostering Tips for Hospitality Casuals

Getting rosters right in hospitality is tricky. You’re balancing legal compliance, customer demand, and the preferences of a diverse workforce. Here are some best-practice tips:

Plan for peaks, not dips

Instead of rostering around the quietest hours, build rosters to cover the busiest periods. This ensures staff are utilised well and don’t feel short-changed.

Use staggered start times

If you need multiple staff for dinner service, don’t roster them all at 5pm. Bring people in at staggered times to better match customer flow.

Offer shift variety

Mix in longer shifts with shorter ones so casuals can balance flexibility with earning potential.

Communicate clearly

Give staff plenty of notice for changes. Under many awards, unreasonable last-minute changes can entitle workers to extra pay.

Use scheduling software

Modern rostering tools make it easier to stay compliant with casual minimum hours, avoid accidental overtime, and give staff visibility of their shifts.

Common Employer Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-meaning managers sometimes slip up when rostering casuals. Here are the biggest pitfalls:

• Calling staff in for less than 2 hours – You’ll still have to pay them the minimum, and you risk frustrating your team.
• Not paying the 25% loading – This is a legal requirement, not an optional bonus.
• Roster “clopening” shifts – Expecting staff to close late at night and open early the next morning can breach fatigue management standards.
• Ignoring casual conversion rights – After 12 months, you must consider whether a regular casual should be offered permanent work.
• Failing to record hours properly – Without clear records, disputes about underpayment can arise quickly.

Legal Requirements When Hiring Casual Workers in Hospitality

When you bring on a casual worker in hospitality, there are a few important legal requirements you need to meet right from the start. These help protect both you as the employer and the casual employee.

1. Issue a Casual Employment Information Statement (CEIS)

Every new casual worker must receive the Casual Employment Information Statement from the Fair Work Ombudsman. This document explains what it means to be employed as a casual, including pay, entitlements, and the right to request casual conversion after 12 months of regular work.

2. Provide a Written Employment Agreement

Even though casuals don’t have guaranteed hours, you still need to set things out in writing. A casual contract should confirm:

• That the role is casual, not permanent.
• The minimum pay rate (including the 25% casual loading of course).
• Overtime and penalty arrangements.
• How and when the employee will be paid.

This avoids confusion and gives you protection if disputes come up later. 

Understanding what the minimum hours for casual workers in hospitality are is just the starting point. Following the award rules, respecting casual conversion rights, and paying the correct loading are all essential for compliance, but building a positive, fair workplace goes beyond the law..

If managing casual shifts feels overwhelming, platforms like Sidekicker can help. From rostering to tracking hours and ensuring compliance, Sidekicker makes it easier to connect with skilled casual workers when you need them most, saving you time and giving your team the support they deserve.

References

https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=e9977a45-460f-4596-9433-b8eaa59242bc&subId=706260 

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