What is Full-Time? Everything You Need to Know

How many hours is full time?

This may surprise you, but technically there’s no legal definition of what it means to work full time. This is completely up to the employer, as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not include definitions for full-time and part-time employment.

However, there are a few industries, like heathcare or truck driving, that do have a state regulated maximum number of weekly hours in order to prevent accidents.

Typically, full-time employment is considered to work about 35-40 hours per week. The standard work week in America for full-time employees consists of five eight-hour days adding up to 40 hours. However, that does vary if you’re working full time in the restaurant, retail or hospitality space. You may be working longer shifts to accommodate for the busy times. For example, it’s not unheard of to work 4 ten-hour shifts in one week.

How are full time employees paid?

How a full-time employee is paid is also up to the employer. Many full-time employees are paid a base salary and are not eligible for overtime pay. However, if you work full time and go over the employer’s hours that define full-time work, you may be entitled to extra per-hour wages. The legal minimum for overtime starts at your base pay plus half. For example, if you are making $10 an hour, you would make $15 an hour in overtime.

What is offered to full time employees?

Full time employment often comes with benefits that are not offered to all part-time or contract workers. This can include health insurance, paid time off, sick leave, 401k options and more. Some employers do offer benefits to part-time employees, but it might cost more from your paycheck than it would for a full-time employee.

Your best bet would be to ask about the benefits and hours you’re expected to work before you accept a job offer. You want to make sure you can commit to work the required hours per week that they expect of you.