We did a bit of research this week, for a client, on the topic of benefits for part-time employees. Thought I'd share a few tidbits here.
The upshot: About half or more of all organizations offer some benefits to part-time employees. Bigger organizations are more likely to do it than smaller organizations. Not-for-profit organizations are much more likely to do it than their for-profit counterparts.
The benefit most commonly offered to part-time employees (about 75%-80% of employers nationally) is the opportunity to participate in a defined contribution plan (i.e. a 401k). On average these employers require a minimum number of hours of just over 1,000 annually in order for a part-time employee to be eligible. The next most common benefit offered to part-timers is paid vacation (about 70%-75% of employers nationally), with a similar average eligibility hurdle.
Based on the studies we considered, the benefit offered least often to part-time employees is disability coverage (less than 50% of employers nationally).
Am I the only person that is shocked that paid time off is only offered to PTers in 70-75% of companies nationwide?
Posted by: HR Wench | June 05, 2008 at 04:52 PM
I think sexism is a major factor here. Who holds the majority of part-time jobs out there? And what assumptions remain from an earlier era that part-timers don't NEED benefits like "real" bread-winners do?
Posted by: Almostgotit | June 05, 2008 at 11:38 PM
Wenchie and Almost:
I guess I meant to share this as a piece of encouragement, to reflect the fact that benefits are becoming more prevalent for part-timers. Back in the day, when I was a young working mom/comp consultant working a part-time schedule (which in the consulting world, means 50 hours a week instead of 80...), we got zippo. So I appreciate the opportunity to share these stats with clients who are not yet "benefiting" their part-timers, to convince them that they are behind the curve. And it worked this week, I think.
But I see both of your points, good ones as always. Thanks for checking in and sharing them!
Posted by: Ann Bares | June 06, 2008 at 07:50 AM
Thanks for the post, Ann. Do you have anything you can share about how health benefits come out?
Posted by: Wally Bock | June 06, 2008 at 05:36 PM
Wally:
Medical (health care) benefits provided to part-time employees in about 60%-65% of employers in the surveys we studied. Average minimum hours required for that particular benefit ranged from 1100 to 1200.
Posted by: Ann Bares | June 07, 2008 at 01:39 PM