Finding out how many hours are full time in California

Section 515(c) of the California Labor Code defines full-time employment as 40 hours per week.

A quick answer to how many hours are considered full time in California

Prior to the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, employees knew that “full-time” meant a full 40-hour workweek, and any employee who worked less than that was deemed “part-time.”

However, with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act came the introduction of the new “full-time” employee—one who works at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month.

This standard has caused a lot of misunderstanding, so we’re here to clear things up: “full-time” is still defined as 40 hours.

Part-Time Hours vs. Full-Time Hours in California

Many people in California work part-time instead of full-time for a number of reasons, ranging from decreased hours owing to Covid-19 limits to family or educational obligations. In California, full-time hours are defined as 40 hours per week under state labor code 515 (c), while individuals who work less than 40 hours are classified as part-time employees. Employers can grant full-time status to employees who work 30 hours or more per week, despite the fact that workers can be classed as part-time or full-time depending on the aforementioned standards.

While the apparent distinction between full-time and part-time employees is the number of hours worked per week, there are various other considerations to consider throughout the recruiting process. Continue reading to discover more about part-time vs. full-time hours in California, as well as how the distinction affects employee benefits, unemployment insurance, and other areas.

In California, what is the legal minimum number of hours per week that one has to work to qualify as full-time?

Working 40 hours a week qualifies people as full-time workers, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations. However, don’t get the 40-hour work week mixed up with the Affordable Care Act restrictions.

Working 40 hours a week qualifies people as full-time workers, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.

However, the 40-hour work week should not be confused with the Affordable Care Act requirements, which define full-time workers as those who work 30 hours per week.

FAQ

According to California law, what is considered a “full-time” employee?

With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act came the introduction of the new “full-time” employee—one who works at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month.

Working 32 hours a week is considered full-time in California?

In California, the typical definition of full-time hours is between 32 and 40 hours per week. However, with the passage of the ACA, workers are classified part-time if they work fewer than 30 hours per week, and full-time if they work 30 hours or more.

In California, how many hours is full-time?

The Affordable Care Act defined a “full-time” employee as one who works at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month.