Is it legal for an employer to hire you as a full-time worker and not pay any benefits just an hourly wage?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it legal for an employer to hire you as a full-time worker and not pay any benefits just an hourly wage?
Asked on December 29, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Washington
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
It is, unforturnately, completely legal, with the exception discussed below. The law does not require companies to provide any benefits whatsoever--they are free to compensate employees, whether full or part time, with wages only.
The exception is that if other full-time employees receive benefits, then it *might* be illegal to not provide them to you--it could be a violation of certain laws relating to the benefits themselves (e.g. health insurance, pensions) and/or might be a violation of employment discrimination law, if you are being treated differently due to a protected characteristic, such as race, religion, sex, age over 40, disability, etc. If other full-time employees receive benefits, you may wish to consult with an employment attorney to see if you have a legal claim.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.