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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:
eternalopt · 31/03/2023 21:37

Government guidance on part time worker rights confirms there no set hours. Really depends on job.

To think 32.5 hours is full time?
piedbeauty · 31/03/2023 21:38

It's almost full time... but not quite.

Original poster
tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 21:38

Everyone in this role works the same 32.5, no offer of anything less or more. Unless it's an overtime shift on a Saturday or the 2 hours I just mentioned. Both very rare and like a yearly thing!

OP posts:
Mypatioisminging · 31/03/2023 21:38

eternalopt · 31/03/2023 21:37

Government guidance on part time worker rights confirms there no set hours. Really depends on job.

It literally says full time is usually 35 working hours (so exc breaks)

thegrain · 31/03/2023 21:39

If a full time employee works 35 hours and you worked 34 then you'd still be a part time employee.

thegrain · 31/03/2023 21:39

tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 21:38

Everyone in this role works the same 32.5, no offer of anything less or more. Unless it's an overtime shift on a Saturday or the 2 hours I just mentioned. Both very rare and like a yearly thing!

Does everyone in the company work those hours?

maddiemookins16mum · 31/03/2023 21:41

Nearly but not quite. I’d consider anything less than 30 to be part time.

Mypatioisminging · 31/03/2023 21:41

thegrain · 31/03/2023 21:39

Does everyone in the company work those hours?

Show quote history

Categorically I will say rhe answer to that is no, just those in her role

DisforDarkChocolate · 31/03/2023 21:42

Lots of places have 35 hours for full-time now. You'd have to work about 25 or under for me to class you as part-time.

Mypatioisminging · 31/03/2023 21:42

DisforDarkChocolate · 31/03/2023 21:42

Lots of places have 35 hours for full-time now. You'd have to work about 25 or under for me to class you as part-time.

So you’d consider someone who does 26 hours as full time?Hmm

FabFitFifties · 31/03/2023 21:43

37.5 is fulltime for me, 40 if you include unpaid lunch

thegrain · 31/03/2023 21:45

Mypatioisminging · 31/03/2023 21:41

Categorically I will say rhe answer to that is no, just those in her role

Show quote history

Then no, its still part time

Hatscats · 31/03/2023 21:45

It should be - 30/32 max a week should be the norm!

Moraxella · 31/03/2023 21:49

@OoooohMatron nhs dr.

garlictwist · 31/03/2023 21:49

I work in a university and our full time is 35 hours.

Original poster
tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 21:49

There are others in the company that work out of shift patterns.

The ones in our role do one set shift a week and another the next and it's on rotation every other week. So it's 5 days of 7 hours, one week it's 6-1 and the next 1-8.

The office workers do 8:30-5 but get an hour and a half break, so technically we are all working the 32.5? So does that mean the 8:30-5 people 5 days a week are also part time?

OP posts:
Original poster
tillyandmolly · 31/03/2023 21:50

Oh wait no, they do 35?

OP posts:
Florenz · 31/03/2023 21:51

It's not really part time but a bit short of full time. I don't think there's really a proper term for it.

JudgeRudy · 31/03/2023 21:52

Nivgor · 31/03/2023 21:29

Yeah it's full time.

Back before minimum wage when employers decided to stop paying for any breaks whatsoever (because if they can't fuck you one way they'll fuck you another) full time was anything between 36-40 hours a week with five of those hours being lunch/half hour lunch and a tea break so a full time contract could legit be 31 active working time a week.

Your friends are being ridiculous. If you're at your place of employment for 35 hours a week you're clearly full time regardless of how tight your employer is. And you're hardly lucky that you don't get paid for all the hours you have to put aside towards work even if 2.5 of those hours are hanging around ready to start working again.

I've worked for a long time, way before minimum wage. I've never had a job where I get paid forvmy lunch break. What era where peoples shifts 36-40hrs a week with a paid lunch hour? What type of work? I'm not saying I disbelieve you, I've just never had anything more than a paid tea break (factory whistle, tools down) or informally at desk where 1 x person does a round and you carry on working. Now it's more grab one when/if you can.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 31/03/2023 21:53

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 would consider it part-time. I work 45-50 hours a week at least.

FormerAcademic · 31/03/2023 21:53

I was doing about 80 hrs per week as a university teacher on a Lecturer A salary, so I'd say 32.5 hrs was very definitely part time.

thegrain · 31/03/2023 21:54

FormerAcademic · 31/03/2023 21:53

I was doing about 80 hrs per week as a university teacher on a Lecturer A salary, so I'd say 32.5 hrs was very definitely part time.

I'm not even sure there are 80 hours in a week!

Nivgor · 31/03/2023 21:55

Maybe she was a quantum physics lecturer.

thegrain · 31/03/2023 21:56

Bravo!!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 31/03/2023 21:57

No it's not full time but 5x6.5 hour days is so close to full time that in my head I'd probs think of it as ft

Though if I was doing a 32.5 hrs week I'd do 9x7.5 hour days per fortnight to get a day off every other week.