It's All In a Day's Work

It's time to investigate different hours of work. What is full-time,part-time and casual work?  After this Work Scene Investigation you'll be able to spot the tell tale signs of a 'dodgy' job ad.

When most of you think about a job, you probably think that a day's work is just the time you spend between 9.00am-5.00pm.


However, there is an array of jobs with extraordinary hours or unusual work places and with a range of conditions and pay. And then of course, there's…overtime! Studies have shown that over 43% of Australians work overtime and one third of these people do not even get paid for it! Sound lousy to you?

Definitions of the four letter word – work!

So what other types of working hours are there? Use the Glossary section and the Fact Sheet on ‘What is work’ to define the following.

 a) Contract work:
 b) Shift work:
 c) Outwork:
 d) Casual work:
 e) Part-time work:
 f) Full-time work:

Job advert search

Look in the positions vacant or jobs section of the newspaper or an employment website to find an example of the following job types:

Full time:
Part-time:
Casual:

Tricky question: can you spot a ‘dodgy job’

Sometimes there are jobs that are ‘not quite right’ – here are some of the telltale clues that suggest the job might be a rip-off.

• Being asked for a payment upfront - never send money if requested.
• A guarantee of a job if you buy a product.
• Jobs that are advertised every week.
• Terms such as 'trainee manager', 'promotions work' ' or 'career in marketing' - they often mean door-to-door selling.
• Get-rich-quick claims - these are usually scams.
• Claims of earning "$200 to $1000 per week for the right person" - these ads usually mean low pay - or no pay - and long hours.

Can you find an advert that might be a bit dodgy? Write down what the clues are and how you could check it out.

Who gets paid what?

Check out the Fact Sheet on ‘What is work’ to help you answer the following questions.
a) Do I get paid to work overtime?
b) Are workers rights the same if they work part-time or full-time? How do they differ?
c) Are workers rights the same if they work part-time or casual hours?

Related fact sheets:
What is - Work?
What is - Work?
Glossary