California Full-Time Hours
Full-time employment in California typically consists of 40 hours per week. This is the standard full-time work week in many industries and is often broken down into eight hours per day over five days.
However, it’s important to note that work hours and classifications can vary based on industry, employer policies, collective bargaining agreements, and individual employment contracts. Some employers may define full-time employees differently, and certain industries or positions might have different standard work hours for full-time in California.
The California Department of Labor is a great resource for examining the California labor code and what full-time employees can expect to receive in terms of healthcare benefits, state minimum wage, overtime pay, and more about California labor laws.
What Is Considered Full Time in California?
Since September 2021, the state of California does not have a specific definition of what constitutes “full-time” employment in terms of hours worked per week. Instead, it relies on federal labor laws and industry standards.
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the standard for minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping, and child labor standards in both the private and public sectors. According to the FLSA, a standard workweek is typically 40 hours, and employees who work more than 40 hours in a week are generally eligible for overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times their regular pay rate.
However, what is considered “full-time” in terms of benefits and other employment policies can vary by employer. Some employers consider full-time workers those who work 30 or more hours per week, especially for the purpose of offering benefits like health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans.
Some specific industries or companies may have their own definitions of full-time employee and part-time workers, which can differ from the standard 40-hour workweek.
Full-Time Employees – FAQ
what is considered full time in california? The state labor code 515 (c) definition of full-time hours in California is 40 hours per week, and those who work less than 40 hours are defined as part-time employees. Again, there can be exceptions based upon the job and industry
is 32 hours full-time in california? For California employees to qualify for the Affordable Care Act, full-time hours constitutes 30 or more hours per week, or at least 130 hours a month.
how many hours do you have to work to get benefits in california? 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.
how many hours is part-time in california? California law provides that part-time employees include anyone working less than 40 hours per week.
if you are a full-time employee can they cut your hours? It is illegal for an employer to cut your pay or work hours, without reason, if you have an employment contract or bargaining agreement in place. If you do not have a contract, your employer can legally reduce your work hours or cut pay and you may not have any recourse.
full time employee benefits required by law? For employers with less than 50 employees, offering health benefits is left up to the employer’s discretion.
can an employer cut your hours from full-time to part-time? Unless you are protected by a union contract or employment agreement, your employer can legally fire you, demote you, or change your hours worked at any time and for any reason.
definition of part time employee? Typically, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets labor standards. But, it does not define what is considered a part-time employee or what constitutes part-time hours. Typically, a part-time employee is a worker who performs tasks and holds fewer hours compared to full-time employees
is overtime after 8 hours or 40 hours in california? According to the California Labor Code Section 510, in California, overtime is officially counted both after 8 hours of work per day, and 40 hours per week.
is it illegal to make a part-time employee work full-time? If a part-time worker is consistently working a full-time status (hitting 40 hours per week) and does not receive benefits as a full-time employee does, this can lead to IRS and ERISA violations. Most employers should institute a policy that outlines when a part-time employee becomes full-time so that they can transition into offering benefits to part-time workers.
working 40 hours a week but no benefits? If an employer with less than 50 employees offers healthcare benefits to a full-time employee and not another for any reason, even though another employee works the same amount of hours, the employee who was not offered health insurance could file a discrimination lawsuit.
