Part-time work can carry statutory entitlements. Begin with employment by the same employer, weekly hours, and the conditions for the particular benefit rather than relying on a 'casual' label in a contract.
Evidence to keep
Current position and effective dates
The revised requirement applies from 18 January 2026. It requires at least four weeks of continuous employment by the same employer, with at least 17 hours in each week or, for a week below 17 hours, at least 68 hours across that week and its three immediately preceding weeks. Check the specified rolling period rather than selecting any four convenient weeks.
The 68-hour route does not apply during the first three weeks of a new employment; each of those weeks requires at least 17 hours. Earlier employment periods remain subject to the former rule. Statutory leave and agreed absences can affect counted hours, so read the Labour Department's explanation and the relevant Schedule instead of recording every absence as zero.
What to check and prepare now
- Create a week-by-week record showing dates, the employer, actual hours, and any hours that the rules count. Retain rosters, clock records, and payslips; do not combine unrelated employers' hours to reach the threshold.
- For each week below 17 hours, inspect that week and its immediately preceding three weeks, first checking whether the first-three-weeks restriction applies. Keep the calculation beside the roster so an employer or adviser can understand it.
- Then check the separate service and other conditions for holiday pay, annual leave, or the benefit you need. Ask Labour about a discrepancy using the dated records; meeting the hours test does not settle every entitlement.
A practical example
After more than four weeks with the same employer, a sequence of 20, 20, 20, and 8 hours totals 68 hours. The final week can be checked under the rolling rule despite being below 17 hours. The following week needs a fresh period; the first qualifying total is not a permanent certificate for later weeks.
Scope, exceptions, and common confusion
This is an employment-continuity test, not the eligibility threshold for statutory minimum wage. Monthly totals, job labels, or a summary without weekly dates cannot replace the underlying record. Seek an individual assessment where absences, employer changes, or disputed records complicate the calculation.
Check weekly hours first, then each entitlement's separate conditions.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.
- Labour Department: revised continuous-contract education tool
- Labour Department: revised requirement video transcript
This is general information; an individual dispute depends on the facts, documents, and current law.