California Full-Time Hours: Getting the Facts
Before the Affordable Care Act was introduced, workers understood that “full-time” meant a full 40-hour workweek, and any employee who worked less than that was considered “part-time.”
What is considered full time in California: “Full-time” in California is typically defined as working a standard 40-hour workweek. However, with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act came along the new “full-time” employee—or one who works at least 30 hours a week or at least 130 hours a month.
This standard has created a lot of confusion, so we are here to set the record straight: “full-time” is still considered 40 hours.
For assistance, please don’t hesitate to call us at (818) 844-5200 or send an online message today. Our California wage and hour lawyers are ready to fight for your rights.
Understanding Employer Discretion
Unfortunately for California employees, whether they are considered “part-time” and ineligible for benefits or “full-time” and privy to benefits is solely left to the employer’s discretion, except for employees who work 40 hours a week or more.
If an employee chooses to classify an employee who works 39 hours a week as “part-time,” he or she can legally do so.
That said, the ACA does require larger employees—meaning those with 50 or more full-time employees—to either offer healthcare benefits to those workers working at least 30 hours a week, or at least 130 hours a month, or pay a tax penalty.
Most opt to pay for the benefits, mostly because it is the right thing to do. Smaller employers, however, are not subject to the same rules.
WRLG Attorneys Can Help You With Determining Your Full-Time Employment Status
If you have a legitimate employment law claim, you shouldn’t be denied quality legal representation because you are worried about paying lawyer fees. At WRLG our attorneys represent workers on a contingency fee basis. This means that we get paid only if we recover money for you. We invite you to contact our firm today to find out whether you have a valid claim.
Who Gets Benefits?
For smaller employers, who gets benefits is left solely up to the employer’s discretion. California’s employers are not required to offer benefits even to classified full-time employees.
Benefits may include dental, medical, disability, life insurance, and the like.
However, if benefits are offered to full-time employees, employers must use the same standards for each employee when determining who shall and who shall not receive benefits.
For instance, an employer cannot classify administrative employees who work 36 hours a week as “full-time employees” but classify warehouse employees who put in the same amount of time as “part-time” for the sole purpose of withholding benefits.
If 36 hours equates to full-time and full-time means benefits, all workers who put in 36 hours or more are entitled to the full package.
If a small employer refuses to offer benefits to a classified full-time employee in California for any reason, even though another employee works the same amount of hours, it could result in a discrimination suit for him or her.
For this reason, most employers strive for uniformity in their hours and classifications, and most are very clear about when and to whom benefits are offered during the hiring process.
Refer to California’s Labor Code for more information on what and what does not constitute a full-time employee.
Contact a California Employment Rights Attorney
Despite having some of the strictest anti-discrimination laws, California’s workplace rights laws are pretty lax.
For this reason, there is a lot of room for interpretation, or, rather, a lot of what is considered “right” and “wrong” in the workplace is all dependent upon employers’ standard ways of doing things.
For instance, what might be considered discrimination in one workplace might be a company policy in the next.
That said just because the state has made it difficult to identify and stop acts of employment discrimination does not mean it is impossible or that you are without rights.
If you believe that you are being treated unfairly by your California employer, call the Los Angeles employment rights attorneys at Workplace Rights Law Group at (818) 844-5200 or send an online message to discuss your case.
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Quick FAQs Regarding Full-Time Employee Benefits
With the introduction of the Affordable Care Act came along the new “full-time” employee—or one who works at least 30 hours a week or at least 130 hours a month.
Larger employers, with 50 employees or more full-time employees are required to offer healthcare benefits to those workers working at least 30 hours a week, or at least 130 hours a month, or pay a tax penalty. For smaller employers, with 50 employees or less, offering health benefits is left up to the employer.
You should contact an attorney, so they can get all the details of your case. Most employment lawyers work on a contingency fee-based system, which means if they don’t win your case, you won’t have to pay.
In California, employers are generally required to offer paid vacation or time off to full-time employees. However, the specific amount of paid time off and the rules around its accrual and usage can vary depending on factors such as the employer’s policies, industry standards, and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
California employers can legally offer different benefits packages to full-time and part-time employees. However, employers must ensure that any differentiation in benefits between full-time and part-time employees complies with state and federal anti-discrimination laws.
Full-time employees in California may be eligible for bonuses or profit-sharing benefits, but it depends on the employer’s policies and any agreements in place. While California labor laws don’t mandate that employers offer these benefits, if they’re promised in employment contracts, agreements, or company policies, then full-time employees would typically be entitled to them.
Related Topics to What is Considered a Full-Time Employee in CA
- What Is the Difference Between Double-Time and Overtime in California?
- What Is the Penalty for Not Paying Employees On Time in California?
- What Are the Most Common Types of Wage Theft in California?
- What Damages Can I Recover for Unpaid Wages?
- Is “Working Off-the-Clock” Illegal in California?
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Theo Khachaturian
Theo is a trial & appellate lawyer whose practice has emphasized wage-and-hour class actions, business disputes, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and intellectual property theft. He has tried civil cases and argued before various California Courts of Appeal.