Part Time and Temporary Employees

Part-time Positions

Part-time workers are generally subject to the same company rules, policies and procedures as full-time employees.  Although persons working at least 40 hours per week are considered to be full-time employees, the definition of part-time employees varies somewhat.  Generally speaking any employee working less than 40 hours per week is part-time.  Employers may define part-time, however, for the purpose of determining eligibility for some benefits.

Part-time workers are typically paid on an hourly basis.  Whether an employer provides benefits to part-time workers, e.g., paid vacations, health insurance, and other benefits, is usually up to the discretion of the employer.  There is no federal law mandating such benefits, though certain deferred compensation plans are required by ERISA to allow employees who work over 1,000 hours in the plan year to participate in the same manner as full-time employees. 

State Mandated Benefits

In addition, your state may mandate certain benefits for part-time employees. Please check our State Employment Laws Section as well as your state department of labor.  As an employer, you may also consider offering pro-rated fringe benefits, including paid vacations, sick leave and life insurance for part-time employees.