Comment by saltybytes | Hacker News Reader

Comment by saltybytes | Hacker News Reader

I think it's very common in Europe to adapt your working hours to your situation in life. Many of my European friends decrease their hours for a small pay cut since they have children now or have to take care of elderly. Just call HR and discuss the deal. Done.

I recently worked for a Belgium startup in the NY office. Many of my coworkers in the old world had an agreement to work less for less pay. When I asked my HR in US to reduce hours for less pay due to Covid-19 the answer was exactly like OP listed: "we have always done it this way... it's not possible in US ... if you decrease your hours by one hour you will count as half-time employee and lose all benefits".

In an instant I would give up 20% pay for an extra day off. Covid-19 is far from over and lots of parents are still juggling all sorts of issues.

The thing is, as I understand it (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong—with citations if possible!), there is no law that mandates that non-full-time employees get no benefits. Indeed, I know of some part-time employees (though still fixed-time, like half- or three-quarter-time, not variable hours like retail or food service generally is) who get prorated or full benefits.

If they are saying their hands are tied, it is because there is an institutional policy of not providing benefits to those who are less than full time, not because they are not allowed to do so.

In other words, if they implied that they can't do this because of US law, they were lying to you.

> it's not possible in US ... if you decrease your hours by one hour you will count as half-time employee and lose all benefits

/thread for US employees

really surprised 80 other comments ITT and no one else mentioning this

This isn't actually a law though, in the US. Its just the most prevalent corporate/insurance/hr policy. I have worked several places where "full time" employment counted as 30 hours or more, with access to benefits, etc.

Is it always true? When I worked for a grocery chain, I was part time but because I averaged over a certain threshold of hours per week that was less then 40, I received full time benefits. This might have been a union requirement rather then a legal one but it worked out the same for me regardless of whose requirement it was.

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