Who are part-time workers? What is part-time work?

The Labor Code gives no definition for the term "part-time work." Moreover, there is no universally accepted definition of part-time work or employment.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) describes "part-time work" as "a single, regular or voluntary form of employment with hours of work substantially shorter than those considered as normal in the establishment." A "part-time worker" is an employed person whose normal hours of work are less than those of comparable full-time workers.

Just because an employee's number of work hours is reduced does not mean that he is a part-time employee. Full-time workers affected by partial unemployment, that is by a collective and temporary reduction in their normal hours of work for economic, technical or structural reasons, are not considered to be part-time workers.
This definition excludes certain forms of employment which although referred to as part-time work, are in particular, irregular, temporary or intermittent employment, or cases where hours of work have been temporarily reduced for economic, technical or structural reasons.

Part-time work may take different forms depending on the agreed hours of work in a day, the days of work in a week or other reference periods. Under Philippine laws, however, the two (2) most common and acceptable forms are four (4) hours work per day and weekend work or two (2) full days per week.