Equality and Human Rights Commission

Employers must treat part-time workers at least as well as full-time workers, unless the differential treatment can be justified objectively. This applies to:

• hourly rates of pay
• access to training and career development
• pensions
• maternity pay
• annual leave
• overtime pay for work outside normal working hours
• redundancy pay.

Because many more women than men work part-time, unfair treatment of part-time workers may constitute indirect sex discrimination.

Temporary staff and employees who job share are also covered, as are workers who return to work part-time at a job they previously did full-time, such as after parental leave.

Find out more about part-time working.