Part-time vs. full-time hours: 3 key differences

Full-time and part-time employment is about more than just a schedule. Employee classification affects everything from benefits to team morale to legal considerations, and that means choosing to hire someone part-time or full-time has many implications. 

Here’s a guide to the pros and cons of these types of work, how many hours each entails, and why it’s important to classify employees correctly. 

Understanding part-time vs. full-time hours

In the U.S., full-time is typically over 30 or 35 hours, and part-time is anything less. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)—the latter of which outlines important full-time versus part-time employment laws for hiring and paying employees. 

The Fair Labor Standards Act doesn’t actually outline how many hours someone has to work to be considered full-time. That means employers in the U.S. can set their own standards based on industry norms and guidance from the IRS.

As for global workers, there’s no singular distinction between full-time and part-time work. Most countries set their own criteria. If you’re interested in hiring employees from different countries, here are some examples of varying definitions of full-time employment: 

• Australia: 38+ hours (regulated by the Fair Work Act 2009)
• Brazil: 25–44 hours (regulated by the Brazilian Labor Code)
• France: 35+ hours (regulated by the French Labor Code)
• Germany: 36–40 hours (regulated by German labor laws and collective bargaining agreements)
• Japan: 40+ hours (regulated by the Labor Standards Act)
• South Africa: 45 hours (regulated by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act)
• United Kingdom: 35+ hours (regulated by the Department for Work and Pensions)

Part-time vs. full-time employees: How do they differ? 

Here’s a guide to some of the differences between part-time and full-time benefits, hours, and laws.

Working hours

The main difference between full-time and part-time work is the number of hours. As explored above, the specific number of hours depends on where you are, but full-time work is typically anything over 30 or 35 hours.

Insurance and benefits

In most cases, full-time employees receive more benefits than part-timers. This includes health insurance, paid vacation, and retirement plan matching programs. 

While there’s no federal rules dictating part-time benefits, some U.S. states do mandate some perks for part-time employees. In Illinois, the Paid Leave For All Workers Act guarantees all employees earn one hour’s compensation for every 40 hours worked, for up to 40 hours.

Labor law protection

In the U.S., full-time employees generally have more protections under certain labor laws. The Affordable Care Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act outline specific obligations for all types of workers. Here’s a quick guide:

• Affordable Care Act: According to this law, larger companies with 50 or more full-time employees who work at least 35 hours weekly must provide their staff with health insurance.
• Fair Labor Standards Act: This law requires organizations to distinguish between exempt and nonexempt staff. Nonexempt employees, who typically have more fluctuating or lower earnings than exempt employees, are eligible for additional compensation—at a rate of time and a half—for hours worked beyond 40 in a week.

Part-time vs. full-time: Pros and cons

Hiring employees on a full-time, part-time, or freelance basis depends on your personnel needs and resources. Here are some of the pros and cons to help you decide who (and how) to hire:

For employers

Many employers hire full-time staff exclusively, but bringing on people part-time offers flexibility for high-growth periods or seasons with fluctuating workloads, like holidays. It’s also always possible to transition part-time workers to full-time positions later. 

There’s nothing wrong with hiring part-time employees. However, many part-timers aren’t as permanent, which can affect team culture and turnover—especially when they don’t get the same benefits as their full-time colleagues. 

Hiring people full-time makes for a more cohesive and sustainable business, which is important when you want people to perform well and stay with you for a long time. The catch is that full-time employees are typically more expensive to onboard and maintain. Full-time salaries are high, and all the associated benefits add up.

For employees

From the employee perspective, choosing between a part-time and full-time job is often all about flexibility. Part-timers can pick shifts that work for them and have more time for other positions or responsibilities. This makes for a better work-life balance and gives students, seniors, and career changers the chance to enter the workforce with lower stakes. 

Part-time positions are generally less permanent and offer fewer benefits, which is why many people choose full-time jobs for the long-term. Full-time employment comes with benefits packages, career advancement opportunities, and in many cases, higher earnings—but the 30+ hours every week can be challenging for some, especially because many full-time positions have a 9–5 schedule. 

Why differentiating part-time from full-time is important

Employers need to be careful to accurately classify workers as part-time or full-time. Otherwise, they risk legal complications and even low morale. For example, if a part-timer works close to 30 hours a week but doesn’t get the same benefits as full-timers, they might feel deprived of certain opportunities and benefits. 

During the planning and hiring processes, create a fair and accurate classification system that sets expectations for each type of worker. Include specific standards for work schedules, responsibilities, and benefits, and communicate them whenever relevant. This way, everyone knows where they stand and can perform at their best. 

Hire part-time and full-time employees, anywhere

Whether you’re hiring one new employee or 20, expanding your team takes effort, especially when you expand your reach to global recruitment. Oyster lessens the load. 

Oyster’s global employment platform can help you hire and manage both full-time and part-time employees. Onboard, pay, and scale a thriving distributed workforce across the world—without the complexity of establishing business in different countries. 

Explore the Oyster platform to streamline global employment and manage your team no matter where they are.

About Oyster

Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.

Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.