Casual vs Permanent Calculator

This calculator helps you compare a casual role's higher hourly rate against a permanent role's paid leave and job security, so you can see which one pays more over a year in New Zealand. Casual employees are usually paid more per hour partly because holiday pay is rolled into the rate as an 8% loading, rather than taken later as paid leave. Permanent employees are paid a lower base rate but get four weeks of paid annual leave and public holidays on top, plus far more job security. You enter the casual hourly rate, the permanent hourly rate, the hours you work each week, and the weeks a year you actually work as a casual, since casuals are not paid for time off. The calculator works out your likely annual earnings under each arrangement, showing the casual total, the permanent total including its paid leave, and a plain verdict on which one earns more in cash terms before you weigh up sick leave and security. Use it to test different rate gaps and hours to see how big the casual loading needs to be to genuinely outweigh a permanent role's paid leave. Remember this only compares take-home cash; it does not put a dollar value on sick leave, guaranteed hours or the stability of a permanent contract, which you need to weigh up yourself. Figures are estimates for comparison only.

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Permanent earnings assume you are paid 52 weeks (including 4 weeks annual leave and public holidays); casual assumes you are only paid for weeks worked, with holiday pay rolled in. This is the cash comparison; permanent roles also offer sick leave and security that are hard to value. Estimate only.