If your business has employees—or are thinking about hiring—there’s a good chance you’ve wondered about the distinction between part-time and full-time employees. You may have asked yourself, "How many hours is part-time?" or "How many hours is full-time?"
The challenge is that there isn’t one simple answer. Different laws, agencies, and benefit rules use different definitions, and that can make part-time vs. full-time classification confusing for even the most organized business owners and HR managers.
In this guide, you’ll learn how many hours are considered part-time and full-time, how Maine laws fit into the picture, what benefits are typically tied to each classification, and how scheduling decisions can impact compliance, costs, and employee morale.
Let's begin!
So, how many hours is part-time? This is one of the most common questions we hear—and understandably so.
In general, part-time employees are those who work fewer hours than your business defines as full-time. That definition can vary depending on your business, but there are a few commonly referenced guidelines:
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) typically considers part-time work to be fewer than 35 hours per week
Many employers internally define part-time differently. Commonly, many businesses use 30 or 32 hours as their threshold for part-time.
Here’s the important part: the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not define part-time or full-time employment. That means employers generally set their own definitions for internal purposes—such as benefits eligibility—as long as those definitions are applied consistently.
Why this matters:
If your handbook says part-time is under 30 hours, but your payroll system treats 32-hour employees as full-time, you can end up with:
Incorrect PTO accruals
Missed benefit eligibility
Employee confusion (or disputes)
Clarity and consistency are key.
In Maine, there is no legal rule that defines how long a part-time shift must be. A part-time shift can look very different depending on your industry and your operational needs.
For example:
A retail or hospitality employee may work 4–6 hour shifts a few days per week
A professional services employee may work two 8-hour days
A healthcare or seasonal worker may work longer shifts, fewer days
What matters most isn’t the length of a single shift—it’s:
Total hours worked in a week
Whether expectations match the number of hours scheduled
A common mistake we see is trying to fit full-time responsibilities into part-time hours. This creates frustration for employees and operational headaches for managers.
Now, let's take a look at how many hours are considered full-time. Like part-time, the answer depends on context. There isn’t a single definition that applies across all laws and agencies, which is why employers often see different numbers referenced in different places. Understanding where those numbers come from helps you decide what makes the most sense for your business.
Common full-time guidelines include:
35 or more hours per week, which is the benchmark often used by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for reporting purposes
30 hours per week or 130 hours per month, which is the IRS definition used under the Affordable Care Act for health insurance requirements
Because of these differences, many employers choose to set their own internal definition of full-time employment. Common internal thresholds include more than 30, 32, or 35 hours per week. No matter which definition you choose, the most important factor is consistency. Your full-time definition should:
Align with your benefits eligibility rules
Match how your payroll and timekeeping systems are set up
Be clearly documented in your employee handbook
When all three are in sync, you reduce the risk of missed benefits, payroll corrections, and employee confusion down the road.
In Maine, full-time employees are entitled to the same baseline wage-and-hour protections as part-time employees, including:
Overtime pay for non-exempt employees over 40 hours
Workers’ compensation coverage
Unemployment insurance coverage
Where full-time status usually matters most is in benefits eligibility, not wage law. If your policies promise certain benefits to full-time employees, you must track hours accurately, update employee classifications when average hours change, and apply policies consistently across your workforce.
While benefits are largely at the employer’s discretion, full-time employees are typically eligible for a broader set of benefits than part-time employees. Many businesses use full-time status as the threshold for offering core benefits.
Common benefits associated with full-time employment often include:
Health insurance
Paid time off (PTO)
Paid holidays
Retirement plan eligibility or employer matching
Wellness benefits or stipends, depending on the organization
Health insurance deserves special attention because of its connection to federal law. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers that qualify as Applicable Large Employers (ALEs)—generally those averaging 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees—have specific responsibilities tied to full-time status. These employers must either offer affordable, minimum essential health coverage to eligible full-time employees or potentially face penalties.
For ACA purposes, the definition of full-time is very specific:
An employee is considered full-time if they work 30 or more hours per week, or 130 hours in a month, on average
Part-time employee hours still count when calculating full-time equivalent (FTE) totals, which determine whether your business meets the ALE threshold
Because of this, it’s important that your benefits policies, payroll tracking, and hour calculations work together. A mismatch between how hours are tracked and how benefits are offered can quickly create compliance risks and administrative headaches.
Choosing between part-time and full-time roles isn’t just a budgeting decision. It affects scheduling, employee engagement, benefits costs, and how smoothly your business operates day to day. Many Maine businesses use both types, but understanding the pros and cons can help you make informed decisions.
Part-time roles allow employers to adjust staffing levels based on demand. This is especially helpful for businesses with seasonal swings, weekend peaks, or unpredictable workloads. You can add coverage where it’s needed without committing to a full-time schedule year-round.
Many workers actively seek part-time roles to balance school, family obligations, or a second job. Offering part-time positions can open your business up to a broader talent pool that may not be available for full-time work.
Part-time employees typically work fewer hours and may not be eligible for the same level of benefits as full-time staff, which can help manage overall labor costs. Part-time roles can also reduce overtime for full-time employees when scheduled thoughtfully.
Having multiple part-time employees often means more schedules to build, more time-off requests to juggle, and more communication overall. Without clear systems, this can quickly become a burden for managers.
Part-time employees may have changing availability, which can lead to gaps in coverage or last-minute schedule changes—especially during busy seasons.
One of the most common mistakes employers make is trying to squeeze full-time expectations into part-time hours. When the workload doesn’t match the schedule, burnout and turnover often follow.
Full-time employees provide more predictable coverage and are often able to take on broader responsibilities. This can simplify scheduling and reduce the number of people managers need to oversee.
Because full-time employees are often eligible for benefits and career development opportunities, they may feel more invested in the organization. This can lead to higher loyalty, lower turnover, and increased productivity.
With full-time staff, training and communication tend to be more efficient. Employees are around more consistently, which makes it easier to share updates, reinforce policies, and build company culture.
Full-time roles generally come with higher wage expenses and additional benefit costs, such as health insurance, paid leave, and retirement contributions. These costs can add up quickly, especially for growing businesses.
If full-time employees are regularly covering extra shifts or absorbing too much work, burnout can become an issue. Overworked employees may disengage or leave, which can ultimately cost more than the position saved.
When business slows down, full-time schedules can be harder to adjust. Employers may find themselves paying for more labor hours than needed unless they proactively plan staffing levels.
Part-time scheduling works best when expectations are clearly defined from the start. Employers should be upfront about availability requirements, shift lengths, and how far in advance schedules will be posted. Reliable time tracking is also essential, especially when employees work varying hours week to week. The more structure you put around part-time schedules, the fewer last-minute changes and coverage issues you’ll run into.
Full-time scheduling is typically more predictable, but it comes with its own challenges—most notably overtime creep. When workloads spike or staffing runs tight, full-time employees often pick up extra hours, which can lead to higher payroll costs and burnout if it’s not monitored closely. Keeping an eye on weekly hours, using part-time staff strategically during busy periods, and watching for signs of disengagement can help protect both productivity and employee morale.
Most commonly, part-time means fewer than 35 hours per week, though many employers define it as fewer than 30 or 32 hours. The key is setting a clear internal definition and applying it consistently.
Full-time is often defined as 35–40 hours per week, depending on the employer. For ACA health coverage purposes, full-time means 30 or more hours per week on average.
For ACA tracking, 130 hours per month is considered full-time. This benchmark is commonly used when monitoring eligibility for health insurance coverage.
Yes. If a non-exempt part-time employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek, they are generally entitled to overtime pay—just like a full-time employee.
Part-time vs. full-time classification affects more than just scheduling—it impacts benefits, payroll accuracy, compliance, and employee trust. The best approach is to define your standards clearly, track hours consistently, and make sure your policies, payroll system, and real-world practices all match.
If you want help simplifying classifications, reviewing policies, or setting up systems that actually support how your business runs, Paper Trails is here to help—so you can focus on running your business, not second-guessing your compliance.
Written December 2025