Part-Time Employee

While the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) doesn’t define what constitutes a part-time employee, they are generally defined by each individual employer’s policy. Typically, these policies will define part-time as an employee who works less than 40 hours per week. 

Most often, employers will differentiate these employees with the eligibility for none, or only some of the benefits the organization provides. Typically, part-time employees are not eligible for health insurance and a limited number of PTO days. 

On the other hand, some people and organizations look at working part-time as a benefit itself due to the flexible schedule and job sharing capabilities. 

There are many reasons why an employer may consider hiring part-time employees, such as: 

• Cut in labor costs. 
• Opportunity to expand in number of qualified employees. 
• You can hire part-time to try out an employee prior to hiring full-time.

• Some believe that these employees aren’t as committed to the work and the company. 
• They tend to take longer to learn the culture and job duties. 
• They are more difficult to retain.

Related Terms: Full-Time Employee, FLSA, DOL