The legal minimum number of hours an individual can work part-time is one hour per week. Federal law does not establish a minimum threshold for part-time work. An employee working any amount of time less than what their employer defines as full-time is considered part-time. This designation is largely determined by individual company policies or specific federal and state regulations tied to benefit eligibility, rather than a universal legal floor.
Why There Is No Federal Minimum Part-Time Hour Requirement
The federal government does not legally define what constitutes part-time or full-time employment for most workers. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs wage and hour issues, focuses on minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards. The FLSA mandates that non-exempt employees must be paid overtime for hours worked over 40 in a single workweek, but it does not distinguish between employment statuses below that 40-hour mark. This ambiguity allows employers to set their own definitions for internal purposes. From a federal labor law perspective, an employer could legally hire an employee for a minimal schedule, such as a single hour per week, provided the employee is paid at least the federal minimum wage.
The 30-Hour Threshold Defining Full-Time
Although there is no federal definition for part-time, a significant federal benchmark influences how employers define full-time work. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established a standard for determining whether Applicable Large Employers (ALEs)—those with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees—must offer health coverage. Under the ACA, a full-time employee provides an average of at least 30 hours of service per week, or 130 hours per month. This 30-hour figure is the federal dividing line for employer-provided health insurance eligibility.
This regulation affects Human Resources strategies because it determines the effective ceiling for most part-time positions. Many large employers intentionally cap part-time hours below 30 per week to avoid the requirement to offer health benefits and potential financial penalties. This strategic limitation means that, in practice, a part-time job often involves working 29 hours or less per week. The ACA’s threshold creates a maximum for part-time work, making the 30-hour mark operationally and financially significant for employers.
How Employers Define Part-Time
The most immediate factor determining minimum hours is the individual employer’s internal policy. Most companies establish their own minimum hours for scheduling and internal benefits eligibility. While many employers define part-time as less than 40 hours per week, operational thresholds are often much lower.
Employers commonly set the minimum expectation for a part-time role between 10 and 20 hours per week to maintain a reliable schedule. This range balances the need for consistent staffing and the employee’s desire for a low-hour commitment. Internal benefits, such as paid time off (PTO) accrual or retirement plan eligibility, are often tied to specific hour thresholds, like a minimum of 20 hours per week.
State-Specific Definitions for Benefits
Some state laws establish minimum hour requirements, but these definitions usually apply to mandated benefits rather than general employment status. Many states have laws governing paid sick leave that require accrual based on hours worked. For example, California and New York require employees to accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Washington state law requires accrual of one hour for every 40 hours worked.
State-level unemployment insurance eligibility is another area where past hours worked are quantified. Some states require a claimant to have worked a minimum number of hours, such as 680 hours, over a specific “base period” to qualify for benefits. These requirements mean that low-hour part-time work contributes toward eligibility for future benefits, though the calculation is based on aggregate hours or wages over a set duration.
Practical Considerations for Very Low Hour Work
While a one-hour workweek is legally permissible, finding and maintaining a job with a minimal schedule (1 to 10 hours per week) is difficult. Employers prioritize efficiency and reliability, making positions with very low, inconsistent hours less common due to administrative overhead. Roles most amenable to very low-hour commitments are typically specialized, supplementary staffing positions, or on-call work, such as event staff or certain retail roles during peak season.
An important consideration for low-hour employment is the federal requirement to report all earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Even if total income is below the $600 threshold for receiving a Form 1099, the employee must report every dollar earned on their tax return. Furthermore, if a worker is classified as an independent contractor and earns net income of $400 or more, they must pay self-employment tax.