How Many Hours is Part-Time in California? (Guide)

How many hours is part-time in California? It's difficult to obtain a specific figure since government agencies and commercial organizations frequently utilize inconsistent definitions of "part-time work."

Workers designated as part-time under California law are those who work fewer than 40 hours per week. Employers, on the other hand, have the option of designating workers as full-time employees at any moment.

California part-time hours

The answer to the question "what is part-time in California" varies somewhat according to who is asking. In our state, some firms will categorize all employees who work at least 32 hours each week as full-time employees.

Other employers, on the other hand, classify all employees who work an average of fewer than 40 hours a week as part-time. Generally, California law leaves this decision up to the employer.

However, the topic of how many hours constitutes part-time work in California is more problematic. If you work for a business with 50 or more total workers, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will affect your categorization — at least for health coverage purposes.

According to the ACA, 'full-time' work is defined as 30 hours a week. If you are protected under the ACA, your company is required to either provide you with adequate healthcare benefits or pay a penalty to the government directly.

The majority of businesses in this situation choose to offer health insurance. Of course, small firms are exempt from this ACA mandate.

Additionally, California is one of the few states having a paid leave statute. Paid leave benefits must be available to all employees of enterprises covered by this law.

Part-time employees will earn paid leave benefits in the same way as full-time employees do under this statute.

If you suspect you have been unfairly denied paid leave or any other work benefit, you should immediately contact a California wage and hour lawyer.

How does working part-time affect your rights?

Part-time workers' rights must be safeguarded. According to the United States Department of Labor (DOL), part-time employees are covered by labor standards in a similar manner to full-time employees.

For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) makes no distinction between part-time and full-time employees.

Part-time employees are still entitled to the minimum wage, and if they work more than 40 hours in a single week during a busy time of year, they may be eligible for overtime compensation.

To be clear, companies are not required to provide general benefits to part-time employees. Generally, California businesses have the ability to give benefits solely to full-time employees.

Is 30-hours a week part-time in California?

In California, an employer may categorize a person as a full-time employee if he or she works at least 32 hours per week. It stipulates that full-time employees work at least 30 hours per week and that anything less is considered part-time employment.

How many hours is part-time in California per day?

Overtime is uncommon for the majority of part-time employees, as they must work fewer than 40 hours a week to qualify as part-time. Part-time employees, on the other hand, may work more than eight hours in a single day in some circumstances.

Is a 2-hour shift legal in California?

Due to the fact that California labor law specifies a two-hour minimum and a four-hour maximum, many have interpreted this to suggest that the law compels employees to be scheduled for a minimum number of work hours every day. Employers are merely required to pay at least half of an employee's planned shift if the employee does not work the full shift.

Is 35-hours considered full-time in California?

There is no legal maximum or minimum number of hours that an employee must work to be considered full-time in California. Nevertheless, certain statistics imply that the average scheduled workweek for full-time employees is between 35 and 40 hours.

Is 30-hours considered full-time in California?

What does California law define as a "full-time" employee? The Affordable Care Act introduced the concept of the "full-time" employee—one who works at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month.

What's considered full-time hours in California?

The California Labor Code Section 515(c) defines full-time employment at 40 hours per week.

Is it legal to work 16-hours a day in California?

Working over the usual eight-hour workday is authorized in California Wage Orders provided the employee is 18 years of age or older, or at least 16 or 17 years of age and not compelled to attend school.

Do I get PTO if I'm part-time in California?

California law requires that employees, whether part-time or full-time, accumulate at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 72 hours per year. Employers may grant additional benefits if they so desire. Additionally, the law authorizes companies to prohibit employees from using earned paid sick leave during the first 90 days of work.

Do part-time workers get overtime pay?

Part-time employees are still entitled to the minimum wage, and if they work more than 40 hours in a single week during a busy time of year, they may be eligible for overtime compensation.

Additional resources

• What are part-time hours?
• Changing from full-time to part-time
• How many hours is part-time in California?
• How many hours is part-time in Texas?
• How many hours is part-time in Florida?
• How many hours is part-time in New York?

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