Part-time employees¶

A part-time employee is someone you take on for ongoing work, but for fewer hours than a full-time employee. Their hours are usually regular — a set number each week. Like a full-time employee, they get paid leave, but the amount is worked out pro-rata — in proportion to the hours they work.

Part-time is one of the main employment types in Australia. It suits ongoing roles that do not need full-time hours.

In one line

A part-time employee works ongoing but fewer, usually regular hours, and gets the same paid leave as a full-time employee — worked out pro-rata.

Why this matters¶

The employment type you choose shapes what a person is entitled to. A part-time employee is ongoing and builds up paid leave, so it is a real commitment. Recording the type and their hours correctly keeps your pay runs and leave right.

What you will learn¶

What makes an employee part-time
That part-time hours are fewer but usually regular
How pro-rata paid leave works

Understanding the concept¶

Fair Work describes a part-time employee as someone who has an ongoing job with a firm commitment to keep working, but who works fewer hours than a full-time employee — usually a set number of regular hours each week.

Part-time employees get the same minimum entitlements as a full-time employee under the National Employment Standards (NES), but on a pro-rata basis. Pro-rata means the entitlement is scaled to the hours they work. So a part-time employee builds up paid leave, such as paid annual leave and paid sick and carer's leave, based on their ordinary hours rather than a full-time week.

The exact hours, pay rates and conditions for a role often come from an award or a registered agreement — a document that sets minimum pay and conditions. Check the award or agreement that covers your business, and Fair Work, for the specifics.

For accountants & bookkeepers

Pro-rata leave accrues on the employee's ordinary hours. Fair Work gives the example of a part-time employee working half the hours of a full-time employee accruing half the paid leave. The employee's set hours are usually agreed in writing and set by the applicable award or registered agreement.

Example¶

Ben hires Aisha to work three days a week on an ongoing basis. Aisha is a part-time employee. She works the same set days each week, and she builds up paid annual leave and paid sick and carer's leave in proportion to her hours — less than a full-time worker, because she works fewer hours. The exact amounts come from the award that covers the business.

Common mistakes¶

Confusing part-time with casual — part-time is ongoing with a firm commitment, while casual is not.
Thinking part-time employees get no paid leave — they do, on a pro-rata basis.
Not agreeing the regular hours clearly at the start.

How this works in myaccountant¶

In the app — when you set up an employee, you record their employment type or basis, such as part-time. That choice flows through to your pay runs and to your STP report to the ATO.

Key points¶

A part-time employee has ongoing work with a firm commitment.
They work fewer hours than full-time, usually a set number each week.
Part-time employees get the same paid leave as full-time, on a pro-rata basis.
Pro-rata means the entitlement is scaled to the hours they work.
The exact hours and conditions come from the award or registered agreement.
Check your award and Fair Work for the specifics that apply to your staff.

Learn next¶

General information only — not tax, super or financial advice.

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