Recruiters and supervisors often use the term “seasonal” and “part-time” interchangeably. Generally, this is no more than a casual slip of the tongue. However, if you are confused, then it leaves your rights vulnerable. Whether your supervisor is conflating the terms or actually trying to infringe on your rights, it does not matter. This post will explore the differences between seasonal and part-time work. So, hopefully, you can go to work armed with sufficient knowledge to safeguard your rights.
If you are a seasonal worker that means that you were hired to work temporarily, usually for a finite amount of time. For example, tax preparation companies will hire additional accountants during the tax season. Additionally, retailers will typically hire tens of thousands of new associates during the holiday season from October past December. If you are part-time, it only means that you work less than 35 hours a week.
So essentially, you can be seasonal or part-time or both. The issue is that if you are a full-time seasonal worker, then you may be entitled to additional company benefits such as health care, vacation time, or bonuses. Most companies provide additional benefits for full-time workers, therefore, if you are misclassified you may be missing out on some benefits.
If you or a loved one thinks that you may have been misclassified as a part-time worker, then you may want to consult with a wage and hour dispute attorney. If you are hired for a season that does not mean you are automatically a part-time worker, it just means that your employment is temporary. A careless supervisor or recruiter should not be the cause for you to miss out on your hard-earned benefits.