Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think 32.5 hours is full time?

351 replies

tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 20:34

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?)

OP posts:
HAF1119 · 01/04/2023 06:27

I think it will depend on your situation

At my company 40 is full time, above is overtime, contracted under would be a part time contract. I get that it might 'feel' funny to be called a part timer working 5 days a week, but then I guess if someone else is doing more hours than you 5 days a week to them they may think it would be nice to be part time and do those hours less.

Noteable though I work 40 hours - on 3 of the days I do more hours than the other 2 to save on childcare for 2 of the days - they don't FEEL part time! The day is still pretty much mumming, work, then mumming the second it stops!

Jaymar · 01/04/2023 06:50

35 hours is full time at my work

Lincslady53 · 01/04/2023 06:55

60 hours a week, down "pit, with no breaks, just 60 hours of ard graft. Owt else is just playing.

Forgooodnesssakenow · 01/04/2023 06:58

Depends where you work, some roles have 35 hours as fte and paid breaks so you'd be full time.

My role is 37.5 hours full time so you'd be part time.

Are you making enough money to live? Are you reasonably satisfied in your role? Then that's absolutely amazing and you're working plenty! I hope to never work full time hours again unless absolutely necessary, the obsession with working as much as we can is a farce. We'll all be dead in the blink of an eye, work to live don't live to work

QueenBee1234 · 01/04/2023 08:58

With regards to teaching, yes you may work over your contracted hours in term time but you also get 13 weeks a year paid holiday? So realistically even if you work a couple of extra hours in term time surely it averages out over the holidays (before anyone pounces on me none of the teachers I know work over the holidays!)
Also, to the ones working part time but finishing around an hour or so earlier than their colleagues and being absolutely convinced there is no real benefit to them.....have you tried working those extra 5+ hours a week? Things like going to the doctors/dentist are easier in working hours so the early finish means you can get appointments other working people would try to avoid (we get our pay reduced for appointments in working hours, not good if you have long running health issues)
Being home an hour earlier means you can eat your evening meals at a decent time and have the time to cook healthy food instead of looking for something quick to bung in the oven!
It makes a difference to the extra curriculars kids can do, when mine were little some stuff started at 6pm and finished at 7pm - mine couldn't go as I finished work too late to get them there. If I'd finished an hour earlier they could have gone.
Whilst your hours may not be part time it is very disingenuous to suggest that 32.5 and 37.5 are virtually no different.

mizu · 01/04/2023 09:02

Teacher here - full time 37 hours a week.

Galliano · 01/04/2023 09:08

I work for one of the top ten ftse 100 companies by market cap. Everyone from CEO down is contracted at 35 hrs full time in the U.K. According to many posters on here this means they don’t actually employ a single ‘full time’ member of staff!

Motherhubbardscupboard · 01/04/2023 09:09

I was part time when I did 32.5 hours. I left an hour a day earlier than everyone else. I'm now full time on 37.5 hours at the same company. However doing your work pattern (and my old one) is pretty much full time, like you say you're out the door every morning and out most of the day. When people ask me now how old my children were when I went back to work full time, I count the period when I was on 32.5 hours. It's not the same as only working 3 days a week. But I do appreciate it's a lot less hours than for example a full time nurse.

Motherhubbardscupboard · 01/04/2023 09:10

Interestingly for the company I now work for, full time in London is 35 hours but full time in all our other offices is 37.5 hours.....

thegrain · 01/04/2023 09:14

Motherhubbardscupboard · 01/04/2023 09:10

Interestingly for the company I now work for, full time in London is 35 hours but full time in all our other offices is 37.5 hours.....

That's so unfair!

SpongeBob2022 · 01/04/2023 09:17

I'd view your hours as part time. I'd see full time as about 37.5 actual working hours but actually anything over 35 at a push (without breaks though).

But in the context of this thread I think your friend is really cheeky is she is suggesting you're somehow getting loads of free time or slacking by working the shifts you do. If anything you're losing out by making the effort to get up and do what's almost a day's work but not quite!

TheOldLadyOfThreadneedleStreet · 01/04/2023 09:18

Our full time is 35 hours a week, it’s central London, 9-5 with an hour for lunch. I am part time, do 28 hours (4 days) a week. You are very nearly full time, I think in your shoes I’d consider myself full time.

Newmumatlast · 01/04/2023 09:19

tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 20:47

Interesting! As some have said... really doesn't feel part time because I'm literally out 5/7 days and with travelling to and from work, etc. it just simply feels like full time Grin but obviously isn't.

But yeah, seems strange to specifically say "part time" to me like that, if she had simply said it's nice hours or whatever, wouldn't have bat much of an eyelid)

Exactly OP. Whether it's technically part time or not, in reality it doesn't warrant comment as though you're living the life of Reilly.

For me, my 4 day a week job actually ends up being 60hrs some weeks however, though that means your hours would feel really part time to me, in reality it means I'm working excessive amounts over full time not that you're very part time. You're nearly full time and it will feel little different to those on 35 hours.

AbreathofFrenchair · 01/04/2023 09:20

tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 20:34

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 did 33 hours a week and was part time. I do 41.25 hours a week now and am full time (compressed over 4 days)

32 isnt full time.

Zhougzhoug · 01/04/2023 09:26

There are a lot of people on this thread fronting that their 40 hour week (9-5 including lunchbreaks) makes them some sort of hard as nails masters of the graft, compared to those feckless workshy fops doing 35 hours (9-5 excluding lunchbreaks).

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 01/04/2023 09:27

Interesting arguments.,
I work 32 hours a week over
4 days, and consider myself PT.

magicthree · 01/04/2023 09:32

37.5 or 40 hours is full-time, so no, it's not.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 01/04/2023 10:06

I was recently asked questions in a market survey being done on behalf of my local council and they classed full time as being 31 hours a week minimum.

nettie434 · 01/04/2023 14:05

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 01/04/2023 10:06

I was recently asked questions in a market survey being done on behalf of my local council and they classed full time as being 31 hours a week minimum.

That's the definition the Office for National Statistics use too. Now with more flexible working (like people doing compressed hours), there is a trend towards shorter contracted hours. However, there is a lot more unpaid overtime.

Haribosweets · 01/04/2023 18:46

I do 35 hours per week and consider myself part time. I don't have lunch though so it is 35 hours

Haribosweets · 01/04/2023 18:46

Meant to say I consider myself Full time!

UniversalMamma · 01/04/2023 18:59

Haribosweets · 01/04/2023 18:46

Meant to say I consider myself Full time!

I was gonna say!

UniversalMamma · 01/04/2023 19:00

Zhougzhoug · 01/04/2023 09:26

There are a lot of people on this thread fronting that their 40 hour week (9-5 including lunchbreaks) makes them some sort of hard as nails masters of the graft, compared to those feckless workshy fops doing 35 hours (9-5 excluding lunchbreaks).

Yep it’s always the same 😂

loveandwarmth · 01/04/2023 20:04

I work 3 days and 30 hours. That's part time. I would class it as part time personally but it's not so different than full time because you're doing 5 days! If I were you, I would wish I could do your hours over 4 days and have an extra day off!

NightSkyStars · 01/04/2023 20:19

I work I work 37 hours over 4 days and consider this part time.