Number: 2025/08
Date of Issue: 01/07/2025
Review Date: 30/06/2029
Background
The Government is committed to permanent employment as the preferred form of engagement for public sector employees. The use of fixed term and casual employment should be limited to the circumstances provided for under legislation and the relevant industrial instrument.
Policy
Engagement of fixed term contract and casual employee
Where there is a vacant and ongoing role within an employing authority, it should be filled on a permanent basis.
An employing authority is defined in section 5 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994 as the employing authority of any public sector body, chief executive officer, chief employee, employee or ministerial officer. This includes statutory office holders, including the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administrative Investigations, the Public Sector Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, the Inspector of Custodial Services, and any similar office. However, the Circular must be read subject to the enabling legislation for those statutory officer holders and that legislation prevails to the extent of any inconsistency.
New fixed term employment arrangements should be made in accordance with legislation and/or the relevant industrial instrument (usually circumstances where there is finite funding and not an ongoing role).
New casual employment arrangements should only be used where the work is not regular and systematic.
Conversion or appointment of current fixed term contract and casual employees
Fixed term and casual contract employment arrangements should be reviewed for conversion to permanency in accordance with legislation and/or the relevant industrial instrument.
Roger Cook MLA
PREMIER
Other relevant circulars: N/A
Circular/s replaced by this circular: 2018/02, 2021/12
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