Full-time employment
Full-time employment means working the standard full schedule for a role under the relevant contract, workplace rules and local law.
There is no single worldwide number of hours that makes a job full-time. The U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act does not define full-time or part-time employment. Australian Fair Work guidance describes full-time employees as usually working an average of 38 ordinary hours a week, with differences possible by job or industry. Other laws and benefit schemes may use their own definitions.
Read the actual schedule rather than relying on the label. Check weekly hours, working days, breaks, shifts and any expectation of additional work. Full-time describes the amount of work; a job can still be fixed-term, hybrid or remote. Salary and overtime arrangements need separate attention. A predictable schedule may matter as much as the total hours when you compare roles with different commuting or caring commitments.
Example
Two full-time roles each specify 40 hours a week. One uses five fixed daytime shifts; the other uses a rotating roster. The applicant compares the schedules before assessing which fits their needs.
What to check
- What are the contracted hours, days and required availability?
- Are breaks included, and how is additional work handled?
- Is the position ongoing or fixed-term, and which benefits apply?