To think 32.5 hours is full time?

[tillyandmolly]

I'm at work 35 hours a week (5 x 7 hour shifts) with a 30 minute break, so technically it's 32.5. AIBU to think this is full time work?

Was out with some of my mum friends the other night and was straight up told how "it must be quite nice to have part time work even though the DC are in secondary school". My DC are in secondary school yes and I'm working full time because of that? (Not implying people have to of course, but it's full time surely?)

I have worked different hours from 35 (9-5) hours then 37.5 hours (9-5.30)and then 40 hours (9-6) inclusive of lunch breaks as full time hours. Different companies had different criteria. I personally feel 37.5 is the right amount. You are technically part time and I would expect salary onto be Pro rated from FT salary but it is so close that I would describe myself as full time based on that tbh.

I would definitely class this as part time. Anything over 37.5/40 would be full time in my eyes.

It’s clearly not full time. It’s 5 shorter shifts.

Our industrial instrument states 38 hours as full time.

No, it’s not full time.

YANBU. But you will also rarely get others to understand. I work similar hours across 5 days a week. It feels full time and other people make comments about how much better it is for me as a part time worker. I don’t find it so and don’t get any benefit out of an hour less a day than a full time coworker. You need a full day or proper
half days to feel the benefits of part work.

Actually @tillyandmolly I do think you work full time. There is no legal definition of full time in the UK. It varies between employers and whether the hours work include a paid or unpaid break. In your job, everyone works the same hours as you so 32.5 is full time. Somebody said 48 hours was full time. It's not. It's the maximum working week under the Working Time Directive. When the Office for National Statistics collect data on hours worked they count 31+ per week as full time. Sometimes when I read work related posts on Mumsnet, I am always surprised at the number of responses from people who come across as if they'd like to be a Victorian factory owner.

I’ve always worked a standard 9-5 desk job with a one hour lunch. So, 7 working hours a day, 35 a week. I’ve never worked anywhere where that wasn’t considered FT, so this is an interesting thread!

Number of full time hours depends on your employer.

My last job was full time for everyone at 33.75 hours per week = 6.75 hours per day. Was flexible too.

I’d say it’s part-time but only just. It’s not like you only do a couple of days 10-2, or something. It’s very close to a full-time job IMO.

Where I am a full time role is 36.25 hrs a week - 7.25 hrs per day and we get flex or time in lieu for any hours above that.

I think that, in your organisation, you would be counted as full time as you are working the same hours as everyone else. Some organisations now are starting 4 day working weeks, which is similar hours to you (based on a 40 hr week).

Screenshot from the .gov website.

OP, does your employer consider 32.5 hours to be FTE? If so, you work full time. If not, you don’t.

IMO 24 hours + is full time

Technically it isn't FT, as FT is generally seen to be 7.5hrs per day x 5 days, as a minimum (obviously a lot of people do more than those hours, particularly in professional roles) but it isn't really "part time" either, as you are in for virtually all of a working day, every day.

If I commented at all (and why your friend thought she would, I don't know), I'd say something like "Ooh, nice short day - I'm jealous" or something.
To me, a job would have to be fewer than 5 days, or give you a decent amount of time to do something each afternoon - finishing at 2pm or something that would make an impact on what you can do then - to be described as being part time.

A part-time worker is someone who works fewer hours than a full-time worker. There is no specific number of hours that makes someone full or part-time, but a full-time worker will usually work 35 hours or more a week. From the .gov website.

You work 35 hours, not 32.5 hours. You don’t deduct your break from your hours.

In the civil service 37 hours is full time and we’re expected to have a 1 hour break for lunch (not that anyone ever does).

Full time is 37.5 hours I'd say. Anything less is part time.

I work part time now (whilst I have a 2yr old child) and used to do 40hrs full time (unpaid lunch so 9-5:30) but I would consider your work full time. You're at work 5 days a week, you just have a generous lunch break. Quite frankly I think 6hr days or 4 day weeks should be standard, I believe there's many studies that suggest shorter days or weeks have no drop in productivity compared to 8hr days or 5 day weeks.

The only reason people are disputing it OP is because we really are a race to the bottom society full of bloody martyrs that must work 12hr days and be glad of it. 😅

I remember talking to a friend and saying how she had a nice balance working part time 3 days a week; she quickly corrected me that she worked 36 hours over 3 days and was full time (NHS) I quickly apologised! I know what you mean though, I worked 28 hours over 4 days for a time and mentally saw myself as working 4 days a week when it was 3.5 days for most people (worst of both worlds really in some regards, but as a non morning person I appreciated the later starts!)

Technically 35 hours plus is more like full time but you almost do that so wierd your friends would say how lucky you are to be part time. It would be more of a comment someone would make if you worked 2/3 days a week (and nothing wrong with anyone doing that with secondary age kids if they dont have to work more), but you are only a few hours off full time. What hours do they all do? Sounds like jealousy.

You’re not really far off though even if you are part time which is probably why you felt a bit narked. You’d be at 0.95 fte where I work so to all intense purposes you’re basically full time with a bit of flex.

Gah didn’t account for the lunch break - so more part time than I said above at around 0.88 fte. No-one will probably treat you any different to a full timer once you’re over 0.8 in my experience.

At my workplace the full time role is 4 days.
8-6pm 2 days a week
8.30-7.30pm 2 days a week
So that’s 42 hours but we get half an hour lunch break (in theory, maybe get it uninterrupted once a fortnight) unpaid each day so 40 working hours.

I think 37.5 is standard though

No, it’s meant to be 37 hours before (unpaid) lunch breaks.

This is your choice. I assume you’re remunerated accordingly. It is certainly not standard.

In my job, in England the standard contract for full time is 37.5 hours per week, but if I got a job in Scotland their full time contracts are 35 hours per week. Admittedly I often do more, but not to the point it gets ridiculous.

OP I’d say your job is part time but really only just, it’s nearly full time and certainly not such a difference to be actively jealous about.