Casual staff

Employing casual staff may be appropriate in cases where the work is occasional (e.g. exam invigilators, visiting lecturers); sporadic / subject to demand (e.g. conference staff); or for a limited period of up to 13 weeks. 

The individual has no obligation to be available for work, and the University has no obligation to provide work. These staff are not employees, so our usual terms and conditions of employment do not apply.

In the UK, if you are an adult (over 18) and are expected to work for more than six hours in a day, you are entitled to an uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes. This break, which can be a coffee or lunch break, must be taken away from your workstation during your working time and not at the very beginning or end of your day. If you are a young worker (under 18 but over school-leaving age), you are entitled to a 30-minute rest break if you work more than four and a half hours at a stretch.

As a Casual worker in the University of Manchester, if you are working a 7-hour day, you must take at least 30 minutes away from your task (during the middle of your day), and this break is unpaid. This will be reflected in your Timesheet submission.

Casual staff are paid only for the hours they work, and accrue one hour annual leave for each 8.3 hours worked.

Work should be assessed and paid in line with our pay and grading. If there is no comparable grade, it should be paid at minimum the Living Wage (currently £12.49 per hour)(£12.66 from 1 March 2025) - see our casual payscale. Staff are paid through end of month payroll and are subject to PAYE tax and NI deductions if appropriate.

You must record hours work and annual leave to be paid through the online timesheet system, in accordance with payroll deadlines.

• Casuals annual leave calculator and record
• Timesheets for Administrators
• Timesheets for Authorisers
• Payroll deadlines