Employment Laws Labor Law Report Case Study

Part-time Employees

Given the large number of part-time employees at CST, it is important to understand how Federal and state laws govern their employment and pay. In general, part-time employees are defined as any employees working regular hours under 40 hours a week. These employees are generally covered as non-exempt, hourly employees under Federal law.

While some states have laws requiring benefits for part-time employees working more than 25 hours a week, Oregon is defined as an "at-will" state, which means that it allows companies themselves to determine the level of benefits offered to part-time employees. According to Oregon state law: "For purposes of employee benefits, there are no statutory definitions of "part-time" or "full-time," and minimum weekly hours for benefits eligibility are determined by an employer's policy or by the terms of the group health coverage plan the employer adopts."

According to CST's company policy, part-time employees do not qualify for the same benefits as full-time employees. Our group health insurance plan requires full-time status for coverage, as is the case with most group health insurance plans. Vacation and other benefits are left to the discretion of the hiring manager; HOWEVER, we must keep in mind that part-time employees are, like all employees, covered under the Equal Pay Act, and should be offered equitable benefits according to job duties and hours worked.

References

"Oregon State Laws Regulating Minimum Wage and the Payment of Wages." (2009). Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. Retrieved from http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI/WHD/index.shtml.

"The Fair Labor Standards Act." (2010). U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-flsa.htm......