Casual Worker Leave Policy
If your business employs casual, zero-hours, or variable-hours workers, you need a clear leave policy that everyone understands. These workers make up a significant part of the workforce in hospitality, retail, events, and healthcare, and their leave entitlements are frequently miscalculated or overlooked entirely.
This guide helps you create that video. It covers what to include, how to structure your recording, and the questions your team will ask after watching it.
Key Takeaways
- State the entitlement clearly: Open your video by explaining that casual and variable-hours workers are entitled to paid leave, how it is calculated in your business, and how it differs from a standard full-time entitlement
- Walk through the calculation method: Show your team exactly how you calculate leave for workers whose hours change week to week — whether that is a percentage of hours worked, a reference period average, or another method
- Cover how to request and take leave: Explain the process for casual workers to request time off, how much notice to give, and how they will be paid when they take it
- Address common misconceptions: Make clear that variable hours do not mean zero leave — and explain how your business tracks accrual so every worker can see their balance
- Link to official sources: Direct your team to the government guidance for your location so they can check the statutory minimum themselves
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Why your team needs this policy
The challenge with casual workers is the variability. When someone\u2019s hours change week to week, calculating their leave entitlement is not as simple as looking at a standard full-time formula. Without a clear, documented policy, managers are more likely to underpay holiday entitlements, fail to offer leave at all, or use outdated methods that do not comply with current rules.
Beyond the legal risk, not having a clear policy creates practical problems. Workers who feel shortchanged are less likely to be loyal, more likely to leave at short notice, and more likely to raise grievances. In industries that depend on a reliable pool of casual staff, a well-communicated leave policy builds trust and reduces disputes.
What to cover in your policy video
Explain that casual workers get paid leave. Open your video by making this point directly. Many casual workers assume they are not entitled to leave because their hours vary. Many managers assume the same. Start by correcting that misconception and confirming that your business provides paid leave to all workers, regardless of contract type.
Walk through your calculation method. Explain exactly how you work out leave for someone whose hours change from week to week. Whether you use a percentage of hours worked, an average over a reference period, or another approach, show the method clearly. A worked example helps enormously \u2014 pick a realistic scenario and walk through the numbers on screen.
Cover how leave is paid. Casual workers often do not know what they will actually receive when they take a day off. Explain whether holiday pay is based on average earnings over a reference period, a percentage top-up on each payslip, or another method. Make sure your team understands the difference between accruing leave and receiving holiday pay.
Show how to request time off. Walk through the process: where to submit a request, how much notice to give, and what happens if multiple people request the same dates. If you use an app, screen-record the request process so casual workers can follow along.
Explain how to check their balance. Show your team where they can see how much leave they have accrued and how much they have taken. Visibility prevents disputes \u2014 when workers can check their own balance at any time, questions about entitlements drop significantly.
Set the tone on taking leave. Make clear that requesting leave will not affect a casual worker\u2019s standing or future shift allocations. This is particularly important in hospitality, where casual workers may feel that taking leave means losing their spot on the rota.
Commit to regular reviews. Let your team know that leave calculations are reviewed regularly as working patterns change. A worker who averaged 20 hours per week six months ago but now averages 35 hours has a different entitlement, and your system should reflect that.
How to structure your video
Keep it under five minutes. Casual workers need to know three things: that they get leave, how it is calculated, and how to request it. Cover those clearly and you are done. Aim for three to five minutes.
Have the right person present. This should come from whoever manages the rota or handles leave requests \u2014 usually the general manager or operations manager. Casual workers need to hear from someone they recognise and can approach with questions.
Use a worked example. Pick a realistic scenario \u2014 a worker doing 15 hours one week and 25 the next \u2014 and walk through the calculation on screen. Abstract explanations of accrual methods do not land. Concrete numbers do.
Show the system. If your team uses an app to check leave balances or submit requests, screen-record the process. Thirty seconds of screen recording eliminates a whole category of \u201Chow do I\u2026?\u201D questions.
Acknowledge the confusion. Casual worker leave is one of the most misunderstood areas of employment. Acknowledging that in your video \u2014 \u201Cwe know this can be confusing, so here\u2019s exactly how it works\u201D \u2014 builds trust and encourages people to actually watch.
Common questions your team will ask
After watching your video, these are the questions that will come up. Anticipate them in your recording or be ready to answer them via messaging:
- \u201CDo I actually get paid leave on a zero-hours contract?\u201D \u2014 Yes. Make this the first thing you say in your video. The entitlement exists regardless of contract type.
- \u201CHow do you work out how much leave I get?\u201D \u2014 Explain your calculation method clearly and give a worked example with real numbers.
- \u201CWill I get paid when I take a day off?\u201D \u2014 Explain how holiday pay is calculated for variable-hours workers in your business and when they will see the payment.
- \u201CWhat if my hours change \u2014 does my leave change too?\u201D \u2014 Explain that entitlements are recalculated as working patterns change, and how often you review them.
- \u201CCan I see how much leave I\u2019ve built up?\u201D \u2014 Show them where to check their balance, whether that is in an app, on a payslip, or by asking their manager.
- \u201CWill taking leave affect the shifts I\u2019m offered?\u201D \u2014 Make clear that taking leave has no impact on future shift allocations.
- \u201CWhat happens to my accrued leave if I stop getting shifts?\u201D \u2014 Explain your policy on what happens to banked leave when a casual worker\u2019s engagement winds down or ends.
Official guidance
The rules on casual worker leave vary by location. Before recording your video, check the official guidance for your jurisdiction:
| Location | Source |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Holiday entitlement \u2014 GOV.UK |
| European Union | Working Time Directive 2003/88/EC \u2014 EUR-Lex |
| United States | Vacation Leave \u2014 U.S. Department of Labor |
| Canada | Vacation and general holidays \u2014 Canada.ca |
| Australia | Casual employees \u2014 Fair Work Ombudsman |
How Pilla helps
Pilla turns your casual worker leave policy into a living part of your employee handbook:
- Record your policy video — Film a short video explaining your casual worker leave policy, what employees need to know, and how it works in your organisation. Staff watch on their phone, and you track who has seen it.
- Onboarding integration — Include the casual worker leave policy as part of your onboarding checklist, so every new starter acknowledges it during induction.
- Policy updates — When your policy changes, push the updated video to all staff and track who has watched the new version.
- Audit trail — Every video view, policy acknowledgement, and onboarding completion is recorded with timestamps, ready for any compliance review.
- Messaging — Use in-app messaging to answer questions about casual worker leave directly, keeping sensitive conversations out of group chats.