While we as employers have considerable obligations to employees in terms of notice required for roster changes through to termination of employment, employees have far more flexibility. This was brought home to me recently when a casual employee with a regular roster of 38 hours a week sent a text message resigning an hour prior to their rostered start time on a Sunday morning.
There had been no complaint, no inkling of unhappiness whatsoever. Indeed, training was being provided for what we hoped would be a long-term retail career.
While I accept the regulations employees must adhere to, I think there is room to increase obligations on employees in some areas. In this instance, for example, I’d suggest some form of modest financial penalty would be appropriate for resignation at such late notice.
But that’s the ‘privilege’ of being a casual employee, isn’t it Mark – that you only have to give one hour’s notice? If the person was working full-time, had a regular roster and was being trained, then why not provide them with the benefits of permanent employment: annual leave, sick leave etc? Perhaps it was their disappointment at being ‘only’ a casual employee that influenced them to leverage their contractual right to only give one hour’s notice. Clearly there is more involved, but it’s an hypothesis.
They were casual because they wanted to earn more at the moment. The offer of full time was there from the outset.
Mark,
Do you think the same should apply if a shift is cancelled or shortened at the last minute.
Casual employment gives an employer far more flexibility but the other side of the coin is employees display little to no loyalty or responsibility. This is an inevitable consequence in rising casual employment. We have been really lucky so far but I’m sure that wont allways be the case.
I did not think we could employ someone on casual if they worked over 32 hours a week? Perhaps that is why she chose to be casual as she was expecting to leave suddenly. She may have found her Prince Charming who whisked her off to his Castle! Won the Lotto?
We once had a casual employee post on their Facebook page on a Thursday night that they were moving to Tasmania on Saturday. This was a lady with 3 school age kids so much planning must have gone into it. We weren’t even blessed with a text message. This may be the ‘privilege’ of being a casual employee but please! a bit of respect for the person who has been giving you money for several years is not to much to ask is it?
It was a he, a young guy keen to learn retail and from what we could see loving the experience and the training.
Leon, no.
Glad your not a bank. Our bank rang today to inform us that they could not open due to staff shortage and apologised it I needed to bank today. Great service from the manager. They must have two people minimum working.
I agree Shayne, not only respect but common decency. I don’t think we just give away money though, I think they also work for it. Everything is a two way street where both parties should be satisfied with the arrangement.
Mark, I didn’t think so.