A casual employee refers to an individual who is hired on an irregular or as-needed basis, without the expectation of ongoing or guaranteed work. Unlike full-time or part-time employees, casual employees do not have a fixed or predetermined schedule and typically work on a temporary basis to meet short-term staffing needs.

Example
A retail store hires casual employees during busy holiday seasons to handle increased customer traffic. These employees work on an irregular basis, often filling in for regular staff members on vacation or handling peak shopping hours. They are not guaranteed a set number of hours each week and have the flexibility to accept or decline shifts based on their availability. The store pays them an hourly wage, and they do not receive benefits like paid time off or health insurance. Once the busy season ends, their employment may be temporarily suspended until the next high-demand period.