How Many Hours Is Considered Full Time?

Key takeaways

• While employers ultimately determine their employees’ full-time or part-time status, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines full-time work as 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month [1].

• Working seven hours a day can be considered full-time if you work five days a week, for a total of 35 hours a week.

• Some of the benefits of being a full-time employee can include access to family leave, sick leave, vacation pay, health insurance, disability insurance, on-site childcare or reimbursement, and retirement.

You can find full-time employment across industries, including education, finance, health care, manufacturing, and tech. Use the following article to learn more about what constitutes full-time status, its benefits, and the types of industries that offer full-time positions. If you’re ready to explore your career options right away, consider enrolling in Kennesaw State University’s Career Discovery Specialization. You’ll learn to analyze your strengths, develop a personal statement, and strengthen your resume. The program also offers guidance on improving your interviewing and negotiation skills.

How many hours is considered full-time employment?

A 40-hour work week often comes to mind when thinking about the number of hours that make up full-time work. However, the IRS defines full-time work as an average of at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month [1]. The US Department of Labor (DOL) leaves it up to employers to decide how many daily, weekly, or monthly hours determine a full-time employee [2].

Part-time vs. full-time hours: What's the difference?

The US Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not differentiate between part-time and full-time employment regarding hours worked [3]. While some employers classify a part-time employee as anyone who works fewer than 30 hours per week, others may have a cut-off of 35 hours per week.

Some full-time employees earn hourly pay, and some earn a salary. Employees who earn a salary receive a set amount of money weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, or for a fixed-length period, regardless of the number of hours worked. Hourly employees, both full- and part-time, receive pay only for the hours they work. Sometimes, part-time hours can vary from one week to the next based on the length or time of day worked.

Typically, full-time employees receive more pay and benefits than part-time employees. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) typically requires businesses with 50 or more full-time and full-time equivalent employees (FTEEs) to offer health insurance[4]. FTEE hours are generally determined by adding all part-time employee hours within an organization and dividing the number by the number of hours the company considers full-time.

Part-time and full-time employees can earn pay raises based on performance and time worked. However, according to the Economic Policy Institute, 42 percent of the 22.8 million underpaid employees in the US work part-time [5].

Read more: 9 Jobs for Better Work-Life Balance

Can 35 hours a week be part-time?

A 35-hour-per-week job is typically full-time. However, your employer determines your employment status, including how many hours per week you work and how the position is classified.

What are contract workers?

Unlike part-time and full-time employees, contract workers provide services based on a company's agreement or contract. These workers pay their self-employment taxes based on wages earned. Contract workers typically don't receive benefits and perform their work using their own supplies, tools, and equipment.

7 benefits that come with working full-time

Full-time workers receive certain benefits under federal, state, or local laws. Employers may choose to provide additional benefits to you as a full-time worker to boost morale and reduce employee turnover. Types of benefits often offered to full-time workers include the following.

1. Childcare

If you are a parent with a child or children, you may appreciate having childcare as a benefit for full-time employment. Some employers offer on-site childcare at no or partial cost, while others reimburse all or part of your monthly childcare expenses.

2. Family and medical leave

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) mandates that public and private schools, public agencies, and any employer with 50 or more employees must offer mothers and fathers at least 12 weeks of unpaid leave following the birth of a child [6]. FMLA also mandates leave for you as a full-time employee if you're adopting a child or participating in foster care, caring for a family member with a serious illness, or you can't work because of a serious health condition [6]. However, you must qualify for this benefit by working at least 1,250 hours over the subsequent 12 months [7].

Some private employers with fewer than 50 employees allow mothers and fathers to take family leave after the birth of a child, which can last anywhere from two to 24 weeks. While some employers offer paid family leave, others choose not to pay for family leave.

3. Disability insurance

Disability insurance covers your wages lost due to an injury or illness lasting more than one week. In many states, it’s up to employers to decide if they will extend this benefit to you. However, five states, one territory, and one industry offer coverage for short-term disability. These are [7]:

• California

• Hawaii

• New Jersey

• New York

• Rhode Island

• Puerto Rico

• The railroad industry

4. Health insurance

As mentioned, the federal government mandates that employers offer health insurance if you work at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours monthly. Health insurance typically covers medical costs like:

• Annual checkups and screenings

• Surgery and surgeon fees

• Hospital fees

• Prescription drugs

• Medical equipment

Some types of health insurance also cover dental and eye care.

5. Retirement

Some employers offer full-time workers retirement program options. When you retire, if you are in a defined benefit plan, also called a pension program, you receive a specific amount each month from your employer. This amount reflects your length of service with the organization and salary, which impacts how much the organization contributes to the pension fund. You can count on receiving these funds, as the employer assumes all investment risks.

If you enroll in a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k), 403(b), profit-sharing plan, or employee stock ownership plan, you also receive monthly monetary benefits when you retire [8]. However, the amount received depends on the fund's success. As an employee, you have various options, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, for investing your contributions, so you take on all risks for the money you contribute.

Learn more about personal finance:

6. Sick leave

Some employers offer a certain number of days off annually that you can use when sick or injured. While some employers pay for sick leave, others do not.

7. Vacation pay

Some employers allow you to earn paid vacation days based on your work history. Employees with this benefit typically earn about 10 paid vacation days per year.

When should a part-time worker become full-time?

When you consistently work over the limit of part-time hours, your employer may reclassify you as full-time. To establish consistency of full-time hours per month, an employer should consider:

• Whether full-time hours will end (for example, when another employee on leave returns)

• Whether hours increase to full-time seasonally and decrease when the season ends

What types of industries offer full-time employment?

You can find a good full-time job with benefits in most industries. Some examples include:

• Accounting

• Education

• Energy

• Engineering

• Finance

• Government

• Health care

• Human resources

• Manufacturing

• Pharmaceuticals

• Tech

• Transportation

How to find full-time jobs

A few strategies can help when you're searching for a full-time job. Try these tips:

• Make a list of potential workplaces, and visit their websites to look for openings.

• Ask friends, family, and other connections about full-time job openings.

• Join professional associations.

• Check job websites and job boards.

• Scan the classified section of your local newspaper for full-time job openings.

• Attend local job fairs.

• Contact headhunting and recruiting companies.

Discover helpful resources to explore full-time careers

Subscribe to Career Chat, our weekly LinkedIn newsletter, to stay up to date on career trends and tips. Then, explore these helpful resources to help you during your job search and beyond:

• Read our Career Chat issue: 3 Resume Templates and How to Pick the Right One for You

• Practice for your interview: How to Use ChatGPT as Your Personal Interview Coach

• Find your path: Career Test: What Career Is Right for Me? Quiz

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