Casual workers will have a new pathway to permanent employment after the government promised to close an employment law "loophole".
Currently, people working permanent, regular hours can still be classed as casual, leaving them without job security.
Today, Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke pledged the government would deliver a "fair, objective definition" to determine when an employee could be classified as casual.
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This will open up a new option for more than 850,000 casual workers who have regular work arrangements.
Burke emphasised that this would be about granting more choices to employees.
"Many casuals won't want a permanent job," he said.
"If you're a student or just working a casual job to make some extra money, this change won't matter to you.
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"But there are casual workers who are trying to support households.
"They're being used as though they're permanent workers and the employer is double dipping - taking all the advantages of a reliable workforce and not providing any of the job security in return.
"That loophole needs to close."
He said no casual worker would be "forced" to lose their loading or to become a permanent employee.
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"But for those who desperately want security - and are being rostered as though they were permanent - for the first time job security will be in sight," he said.
The conversion will be effective from the date it occurs, without involving backpay.
The government also plans to keep much of the existing framework that it claims unions and business groups agree should not change, including existing processes to offer eligible employees permanent work after 12 months.
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