Is there Health Insurance for Part-Time Workers?

Yes, part-time employees can get health insurance—but only if their employer chooses to offer it. There’s no federal law that says companies have to give health coverage to part-time workers. It’s completely optional.

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What Counts as “Part-Time”?

Let’s clear that up first. According to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a part-time employee is someone who works less than 30 hours per week or less than 130 hours per month for over 120 consecutive days.

**Is there Health Insurance for Part-Time Workers**

Whether or not part-time workers get health insurance depends on the employer. Some big companies like Lowe’s, Chipotle, REI, Staples, and JPMorgan Chase do offer it—because it helps them attract and keep good employees. Offering health benefits (even if you’re a small business) can make your workplace more appealing to job seekers, especially those with dependents.

So, even if you’re not as big as Walmart or Starbucks, you can still offer things like health, dental, and vision insurance to part-timers. Just remember—if you do offer it, you have to follow ACA rules.

Also Read: How does Coinsurance Work in Medical Billing?

How to Offer Health Insurance to Part-Time Employees

If you’re thinking about offering health benefits to your part-time staff, here are four simple steps to follow:

1. Check with Your Insurance Provider

First, find out if your health insurance provider even allows coverage for part-time workers—some don’t. If you’re still shopping around for a plan, tell your insurance broker that you want options that include part-timers.

2. Be Fair and Consistent

If you decide to offer health insurance to part-timers, you need to offer it to all similar part-time employees—not just a few favorites. Make sure your policy is written down clearly so there’s no confusion.

3. Set Clear Rules for Who Qualifies

You get to decide what makes a part-time employee eligible for health insurance. For example, you might say they qualify if they:

Work at least 10 hours a week,
Work 40+ hours a month, or
Work any part-time hours at all.

Add this info to your employee handbook so everyone knows the deal.

Also Read: How do I Enroll through the Health Insurance Marketplace?

4. Watch Your Participation Rates

Insurance companies usually require a certain percentage of eligible employees to actually use the health plan. If too few people sign up, it could affect your ability to offer the plan. Including part-time staff might change this percentage, so keep an eye on it.

What About QSEHRA? Can Part-Timers Join?

QSEHRA (Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement) is a health benefit that lets small employers help cover their employees’ insurance costs—without offering a full health plan.

If your business has fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees and uses QSEHRA instead of group insurance, you can include part-time workers in this too. Just make sure you apply the same rules to everyone so it’s fair and consistent.

Don’t Forget: Part-Time Workers May Get Other Benefits Too

Even if you don’t offer health insurance to part-time employees, they may still be eligible for other benefits. For example:

Paid Sick Leave: There’s no federal law requiring it, but many states do.
Family and Medical Leave (FMLA): If you have 50+ employees and a part-time worker has been with you for a year and worked at least 1,250 hours, they may qualify for up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave.
Disability Benefits: Some states (like CA, NY, NJ, HI, and RI) and Puerto Rico require employers to offer short-term disability coverage—even for part-timers.
Retirement Plans: If you offer a retirement plan, ERISA might require you to make it available to part-time employees, too.