Casual conversion response letter

Respond in writing when a casual employee notifies you that they want to become permanent. The builder works out the 21-day deadline, checks the service requirement and finds the day the change takes effect.

Figures checked 5 November 2026. Free to use, no sign-in.

Casual conversion: acceptance

Respond by: Enter notification date
Service check: Enter dates
Change takes effect: Enter pay cycle

Check before you use it

Respond in writing within 21 days after the notification was given (s 66AAC(1)).
Consult the employee before you respond. If you are accepting, discuss full-time or part-time, the hours and the start day (s 66AAC(3)).
Eligibility: the employee needs 6 months of employment (15 or more employees), and must not have had a notification refused, or a dispute about this resolved, in the last 6 months (s 66AAB).
The start day must be the first day of the first full pay period that starts after you give this response, unless you and the employee agree another day (s 66AAD(2)).
Name the award or agreement and check the minimum hours, rostering and classification that apply to a permanent employee in this role.
Do not cut the employee’s hours, change their pattern of work or end their employment to avoid the conversion. That is prohibited (s 66L) and may breach the general protections.

[Employer name]

[Date of letter]

Private and confidential [Employee name] [Position]

Dear [Employee first name],

Response to your notification about casual employment

Thank you for your written notification of [date notification received], in which you told us you believe you no longer meet the definition of a casual employee and asked to change to permanent employment. This is our written response under section 66AAC of the Fair Work Act 2009.

We met with you on [consultation date] to discuss your notification, the type of employment, your hours of work and the date the change would start.

We accept your notification.

New employment status	Part-time
Hours of work after the change	[e.g. 24 hours a week: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 am to 5.30 pm]
The change takes effect on	[first day of your first full pay period after the date of this letter, or another day we agree]

From that day you will be a part-time employee. You will no longer receive the casual loading, and you will accrue paid leave and have the other entitlements of a part-time employee under the National Employment Standards and [name of the award or enterprise agreement]. We will confirm your new terms in writing.

If you have any questions, please contact [contact name and phone or email].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your position]

[Employer name]

Highlighted text in [brackets] still needs your input. General information, not legal advice.

How this works

The response follows section 66AAC of the Fair Work Act, which sets out what it must contain.

Accepting: the letter states whether the employee becomes full-time or part-time, their hours after the change, and the day it takes effect. Enter your pay cycle and any pay period start date to find the first full pay period after your response.
Not accepting: pick the statutory ground and give your specific reasons. The letter tells the employee they can raise a dispute, first with you and then with the Fair Work Commission.

You must not cut hours, change the employee’s pattern of work or end their employment to avoid a conversion. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Legal basis

Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Tell us.

Questions

Do employers still have to offer casual conversion?

No. Since 26 August 2024 the Fair Work Act uses an employee choice pathway: a casual employee who believes they are no longer a casual can notify you in writing, and you must respond. The old requirement for larger employers to offer conversion after 12 months is no longer in the Act.

Who can give a notification?

A casual employee who has been employed for at least 6 months, or 12 months if you are a small business employer, who believes they no longer meet the casual definition in section 15A. They cannot notify while a dispute about this is being dealt with, or within 6 months of you refusing a notification or a dispute being resolved.

How long do I have to respond?

21 days after the notification is given. You must consult the employee first, and your response must be in writing.

On what grounds can I say no?

Only three: the employee still meets the casual definition; there are fair and reasonable operational grounds, such as substantial changes to how work is organised or significant impacts on the business; or accepting would breach a recruitment or selection process required by law. You must give your reasons.

When does the change start?

On the first day of the employee’s first full pay period that starts after you give the response, unless you both agree to another day.

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