Part-time employees may or may not receive benefits depending on the employer. Full-time employees generally receive better benefits, but some companies offer different plans based on the number of hours worked. Some companies don’t offer benefits to part-time employees, but it’s worth asking about purchasing benefits if available.
The question of whether employees are unable to obtain benefits when working part-time depends on the employer. Since benefits are an important and valued feature in the eyes of many employees, it can be helpful to research a company’s policy while applying to work there. Questions about benefits are usually frowned upon in the interview, but if the subject of compensation is brought up, you can discuss it and also ask employees at the company.
At best, everyone who works for a company is able to get benefits, no matter how many hours they put in. However, this is rare because the benefits can be very expensive and most companies want to cut costs where they can. More commonly, people who work full-time get better benefits than those who work part-time. For example, all employees could be eligible for a company discount, but only full-time employees could get retirement benefits.
If you want to get health care benefits, many companies set up different plans, depending on the amount of hours employees work. Full-time employees might be eligible for more expensive benefits, such as dental and vision benefits, while part-time employees might have simpler plans with higher copays or less coverage of prescriptions. In some cases, companies will allow employees to buy into a higher benefits package, making better benefits available to those willing to pay for them.
In other cases, you may not get benefits if you work part-time. From a company perspective, it’s not worth offering benefits to employees who don’t work as much, especially in the case of seasonal employees. Some companies are actively looking for part-time workers for this reason, unfortunately, in an effort to cut costs. However, if you prove yourself to be a capable and valuable employee, you may be able to get more hours, potentially working up to part-time status.
There is no hard and fast rule about which employees get benefits. Many government employers, for example, offer benefits to all employees, regardless of status, and some large companies that pride themselves on caring about their employees offer benefits to everyone, while other large companies see limited benefits as a measure of cost reduction. If you work for a company that offers benefits only to full-time employees, it may be worth trying to ask to purchase some or all of the plan’s benefits, as companies often negotiate cheaper rates for health insurance and other benefits, and you wouldn’t be able to get these rates on your own.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
