How to employ a part‑time worker

By Katie Wood

When employing someone on a part‑time basis, employers must comply with the Part‑time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000, which require part‑time staff to be treated no less favourably than comparable full‑time workers. This protection applies to both employees and workers, and covers any act—or failure to act—by the employer that disadvantages someone because they work part time.

Because part‑time roles are more commonly held by women, employers should also be aware that unfavourable treatment may amount to indirect sex discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. Ensuring fair and consistent practices is essential for legal compliance and effective people management.

There is no fixed number of hours that defines part‑time work. A part‑time employee is simply someone who works fewer hours than a full‑time colleague at the same workplace. Part‑time arrangements can take many forms, including job‑shares, term‑time contracts, evening shifts and weekend work.

Our guide gives you everything you need to confidently and compliantly manage part‑time workers. It breaks down the rules on less favourable treatment, equal pay, overtime, annual leave, bank holidays and contractual benefits—with clear, practical examples throughout. You’ll also get straightforward guidance on family‑related rights, pension access, redundancy decisions, workload expectations and creating fair opportunities for development and promotion.

Designed for HR professionals, this guide helps you apply the law correctly and build an inclusive workplace where part‑time employees can thrive.

In this guide, learn about:

• Protection from less favourable treatment
• Justification of less favourable treatment
• Written statement of reasons for less favourable treatment
• Entitlement to a written statement of employment particulars
• Entitlement to the same rate of pay
  • Examples of pay calculation
• Entitlement to overtime pay
  • Example of overtime calculation
• Calculation of annual leave
  • Examples of annual leave calculation
  • Example of annual leave calculated on an hourly basis
  • Annual leave for employees returning from maternity leave on part-time hours
• Calculation of bank holiday entitlement
  • Example of bank holiday calculation where the employer closes on bank holidays and includes bank holidays in the statutory annual leave entitlement
  • Example of bank holiday calculation where the employer closes on bank holidays and does not include bank holidays in the statutory annual leave entitlement
• Entitlement to contractual benefits that cannot be pro rated
• Family-related rights for part-time employees
  • Example of contractual maternity pay calculation
• Access to occupational pension schemes
• Treatment of part-time employees when selecting for redundancy
• Workloads and targets for part-time employees
• The availability of part-time work and opportunities for promotion
• Access to training opportunities and meetings

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