Full-time employment is employment in which a person works a minimum number of hours defined as such by his/her employer. Full-time employment often comes with
benefits that are not typically offered to
part-time,
temporary, or
flexible workers, such as
annual leave,
sickleave, and
health insurance. Full-time jobs are often considered
careers. They generally pay more than
part-time jobs, and usually carry more hours per week. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not define full-time employment or part-time employment. This is a matter generally to be determined by the employer (US Department of Labor). The definition by employer can vary and is generally published in a company's Employee Handbook. Companies commonly require from 35 to 40 hours per week to be defined as full-time and therefore eligible for benefits.