How many hours to be considered full-time?

AZHR

I thought I've seen this question before but can't seem to find it now. Is there a legal definition of "full-time" status? If so, how many hours does an employee need to work to be considered full-time. This is being raised because our current Holiday Policy says if your regular schedule calls for 20-29.9 hours per week, you receive 4 hours of holiday pay and if your schedule calls for 30-39.9 you receive 6 hours of holiday pay. Someone is now stating that by law anyone who works 30+ hours/week is considered full-time. Thanks for your feedback.

Shadowfax

I think they're wrong. Some ERISA and benefit programs define full time, but for purposes of wage and hour laws, there is no definition. Typically, ERS define full, part, etc in their policies.

ray a

...and holiday pay is not required by law so is not regulated.

pork1

AZHR: You should refer them to your employee handbook, where it should be laid out for all to see that your benefits are awarded to full time employees who work "xx" number of hours a week. I have previously been advised by wage and hour auditors that "anyone working 32 hours a week for 16 straight weeks" is the threshole, whereby the auditor would begin to look at your policy and implementation of benefits for complaining workers. If there is no stated policy on which to base a consideration of the complaining employee concerns, it would be the above that the auditor would use to consider whether your company is providing benefits as published, or is the company just doing whatever they choose to do.

Since then, I have always incorporated and exercised the companies for whom I have worked.

For further consideration, I recommend you contact your retained attorney for advice. I do not believe you will find the answer to your concerns in the old or the new FLSA. It is apparantly one of those areas that the government chose not to deal. My first audit was in 1987, things may have changed.

PORK

mwild31

Hi AZHR - this link might help:

[url]http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/full-time.htm[/url]

There's no federal standard and unless it's defined by an individual state (not sure if there are any out ther), it's defined by the employer.

HRCalico

It sounds like you're quoting your manual - in the next revision, you may want to further define this so all you have to do is point to the text when these issues arise.

Another thing that can be considered in FT vs. PT is your insurance contract. Our employees must work 35 hours or more per week to be eligible for insurance, and employers sometimes use that to determine status.

Wouldn't it be nice if employees thanked us for getting paid some money to not work for a day!