Part-Time Work

PART-TIME WORK

Most workers, particularly at the lower end of the pay scale, want full-time work with benefits. But that does not suit large corporations such as Walmart, Target, Kohl’s and Starbucks. These corporations want to pay as little as possible per hour and to avoid paying for benefits and (heaven forbid!) to never pay overtime. So, their solution is part-time work.

Part-time work means flexibility for the employer. Some weeks the employer will offer 4 hours, other weeks 39 hours (never 40 hours because then overtime may kick in). The median work week for part-timers at Walmart is 30 hours, meaning half of part-time workers get over 30 hours and half get under 30 hours. Flexibility shifts economic risk from employer to employee. It allows businesses to cut employees’ hours when business is slow and increase them as needed. It allows employers to control employees, for example punishing workers who complain or who might opt for unionization.

Part-time workers are often on-call, meaning they must be available for work at all times. This limits their availability for other work, often needed to supplement their meager incomes. Sure, there are some part-timers who like the flexibility of part-time work, as it fits in with their lives as students or people with child or elder care responsibilities. But most don’t.

Source: The New York Times, 2/20//24