---
title: Am I Compliant? Full Time vs. Part Time Employees - Ahola
description: Defining full-time and part-time may seem simple, but there are no universally accepted definitions. Learn how to make these distinctions among your employees.
---

[Read Our Blog | Ahola ](https://blog.ahola.com)

# [Am I Compliant? Full Time vs. Part Time Employees - Ahola](https://blog.ahola.com/am-i-compliant-full-time-vs-part-time-employees)

 Written by [aholaadmin](https://blog.ahola.com/author/aholaadmin) | Jun 22, 2020 11:31:34 AM

The widely accepted definition of full-time employment is 40 hours per week, but part-time employment is a bit harder to pin down. Some employers consider part-time employment to be less than 25 hours per week; for others, it’s less than 30 hours per week. When there are no legal considerations, some employers simply adopt the Bureau of Labor Statistics definitions.

### Bureau of Labor Statistics Definitions

The BLS regards full-time employees as those who typically work 35 hours or more per week and part-time employees as those who typically work less than 35 hours per week. Note that these are *not* legal definitions. (They’re developed solely for statistical purposes.)

### Legal factors influencing full-time and part-time employment

*Fair Labor Standards Act:* Although the FLSA does not define full-time or part-time employment, it requires overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Many employers define full-time employment as 40 hours per week because it simplifies the monitoring, recording and calculation of overtime.

*State law:* States may establish their own definition of full-time and part-time employment. In some states, full-time employment is regarded as 40 hours per week and part-time as less than 35 hours per week. Also, some states mandate that employers provide certain benefits, such as paid sick leave, to both full-time and part-time employees who work a specified number of hours.

*Affordable Care Act:* If you have 50 or more full-time employees, the ACA says you must offer health insurance or pay a penalty. For ACA purposes, full time is 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month. Anything less is considered part-time employment.

### Business factors influencing full-time and part-time employment

*Work schedule:* If the job requires the employee to be present on most or all workdays and delivers little to no flexibility, then it’s likely full time. Usually, full-time roles need a stable presence, with the employee working at least seven to eight hours per workday or 35-40 hours per workweek.

Conversely, if the job comes with fewer responsibilities, inconsistent hours and a good amount of flexibility, then it’s likely part-time. Typically, part-time roles demand less commitment from the employee than do full-time positions.

*Pay and benefits:* Full-time employees are normally paid either on an hourly or salary basis. If a full-time hourly or salaried employee is *nonexempt *under the FLSA, he or she must receive no less than the federal or state minimum wage. Employees should also get overtime — at one and a half times their regular rate of pay — for work hours exceeding 40 in a workweek. Full-time employees are often paid at a higher rate than part-time employees and are offered a wider range of company benefits.

Part-time employees typically receive limited, if any, benefits. (Many employers don’t go beyond what’s legally required for part-time employees in terms of benefits.) Though part-time positions are frequently classified as hourly, they can be hourly or salaried. Keep in mind that if a salaried employee is *exempt *under the FLSA, you must pay him or her no less than $684 per week — regardless of whether the position is full time or part time.

Employee classifications like this can be tricky, so refer to an HR Professional or Labor Attorney for guidance.

[View full post](https://blog.ahola.com/am-i-compliant-full-time-vs-part-time-employees)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "aholaadmin"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2021-09-03T21:44:58.890Z",
  "datePublished" : "2020-06-22T11:31:34Z",
  "headline" : "Am I Compliant? Full Time vs. Part Time Employees",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 836,
    "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent30.net/hubfs/19964382/Imported_Blog_Media/qtq80-HVCMgr.jpeg",
    "width" : 1254
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.ahola.com/am-i-compliant-full-time-vs-part-time-employees",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Ahola Blog"
  }
}
```