Full-time and part-time

Full-time employment

Quite simply, an employment is “full-time” if the contract of employment describes it as full-time (whether in those terms or not).

Part-time employment

If an existing part-time employee who is not already a member starts a new contract or there is a material change in a contract that began on or after 1 January 2007 (which you’ll have to determine), they have to be contractually enrolled as a member of the Scheme. You will need to deduct contributions from the start date or date of the change. Where a member has multiple employers you should ensure that the member is aware that they must tell those employers immediately that they must deduct Scheme contributions unless they are opting out of any of those other employments.

A part-time member who was in employment prior to 1 January 2007 may have previously completed an election for their service to be treated as pensionable, so please ask them or check the system via the Member Print. If they had elected to join the Scheme then you should already be deducting contributions.

If you do not deduct contributions where it is appropriate, you and the member will have to pay the missing contributions and also pay interest.