The number of hours an employee must work to be considered full-time and eligible for employee benefits such as health insurance, paid time off (including vacation leave and sick leave), and retirement accounts (401k and related employer-contributions) is generally in the sole discretion of the employer. This is because an employer is not obligated to provide these employee benefits or fringe benefits to any employee, whether full-time or part-time.

For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not define full-time employment or part-time employment. And whether an employee is considered full-time or part-time does not change the application of the FLSA—or the application of the Service Contract Act (41 US.C. §351) or the Davis-Bacon Act wage and fringe benefit requirements (40 U.S.C. §3141).

In Arizona, as in other states, there is no specific number of hours that universally defines a full-time employee; this determination is typically left to the discretion of the employer. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs issues such as minimum wage and overtime, does not define full-time or part-time employment. This means that employers in Arizona have the flexibility to establish their own standards for what constitutes full-time employment and eligibility for benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans like 401(k)s. However, certain federal laws, like the Affordable Care Act (ACA), may impose specific requirements on employers regarding health insurance coverage for employees working more than 30 hours per week on average. Employers must also comply with any applicable state laws or regulations that may set standards for employee benefits. It's important for employees to review their employer's policies to understand how their employment status affects their eligibility for benefits.