Part time work is defined as employment that is less than a full-time organisational commitment on the part of the employee.
For example, working 'half time' would involve working two and a half days per week.
Flexitime
Flextime (or flexitime) is a variable work schedule, in contrast to traditional work arrangements requiring employees to work a standard 9am to 5pm day. Under flexitime, there is typically a "core time" period of the day when employees are expected to be at work (for example, between 10 am and 4pm), whilst the rest of the working day is "flexitime", in which employees can choose when they work, subject to achieving total daily, weekly or monthly hours in the region of what the employer expects, and subject to the necessary work being done.
Job share
Job sharing is an arrangement where two or more employees share the duties and responsibilities of a single full time job. Each job sharer has broadly the same responsibilities, although their contractual terms and conditions of employment may differ.
TOIL
TOIL (time off in lieu) or 'banked hours' is similar to flexitime in that workers are credited for extra hours they have worked and then allowed to take them at another time. Unlike flexitime, time taken usually has to be agreed in advance and time may have to be earned or banked before it can be taken.
Annualised hours
Where an employee is contracted to work a number of hours per year, which
is worked flexibly and not in a fixed way.
Zero-hours contracts
Workers with zero-hours contracts are guaranteed no work at all! They are 'on call' to work according to the short-term needs of their employer.
Term-time working
Term-time working is most common within the education sector, allowing those who have children of school age to be at home during the school holidays. It is also found in other sectors where this pattern fits the demands of the workload.
Compressed hours - restructured hours
Compressed hours result in work time taking place in fewer and longer blocks during the week or month e.g. a 9-day fortnight, or a 4-day week.
V-time working
This is a voluntary agreement in which an employee's hours are reduced for an agreed period, with a guarantee that full-time employment will be available at a specific date. This might be in response to either the needs of the employer or employee.