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10 Part-Time Jobs That Still Offer Health Benefits

Know where to find part-time health benefits and what coverage excludes.

By Chris Lewis, CEPF , Edited by Calista Headrick

Updated Nov. 5, 2026

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Leaving a full-time job before 65 means figuring out how to pay for health insurance until Medicare. A part-time job with medical coverage could help, especially now that enhanced marketplace subsidies have expired. The ACA generally requires large employers to offer qualifying coverage to employees averaging at least 30 hours a week or potentially face penalties. Below that threshold, employers are less likely to offer coverage.

Some employers offer benefits with fewer hours, which could help you lower your financial stress. Others offer limited plans that leave expensive care uncovered. Here's what to know about the hours, waiting periods, and coverage at these 10 employers.

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Starbucks

Mainland U.S. part-timers qualify after accumulating 240 eligible hours over three full, consecutive months. Eligibility begins on the first day of the second month after that. Keeping coverage generally requires 520 hours per six-month measurement period, roughly 20 hours weekly.

Eligible employees are able to select medical, dental, and vision coverage. Before accepting, ask how many hours the store typically schedules for part-timers. You'll need enough eligible hours to keep the insurance after you qualify.

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Costco

Costco confirms that part-time employees are able to receive medical coverage with low employee premiums and copays. However, its publicly available eligibility descriptions aren't consistent.

Older reporting quotes a 23-hour weekly average and 180-day wait, while other materials describe accumulated paid-hour thresholds. Treat those numbers as questions for HR, not a confirmed current rule. Request the current benefits summary and your actual coverage date before accepting a warehouse position for its insurance.

Lowe's

Regular part-time associates have access to health benefits, although the public careers page doesn't specify a weekly minimum. Lowe's has advertised eligibility as early as the first of the month after 30 days of service; confirm the current start date.

Its part-time offering includes a limited medical plan marketed as Virtual+. Don't assume that means comprehensive hospital or surgical coverage. Ask for the current exclusions and benefit limits, along with dental and vision options.

REI

Regular part-timers averaging at least 20 hours weekly over a defined 12-month evaluation period could qualify for REI's Full Benefit Plan. The exact start date depends on the eligibility calendar.

Employees who aren't eligible for the Full Benefit Plan have another option after 60 days, with coverage starting the following month. The 2026 Options Plan includes virtual care and set payments toward certain medical bills, including hospital stays and surgery. Those payments may leave a substantial balance. This isn't major medical insurance, though, and dependents aren't covered.

UPS

Union-covered part-time jobs provide substantial medical, prescription, dental, and vision benefits. A nine-month service wait applies to many positions, but the hours you need depend on your union health plan.

For example, TeamstersCare specifies 225 hours in a three-month eligibility period for UPS part-timers. However, this isn't a nationwide UPS rule. Ask your local benefits office which requirements apply, and consider whether package handling and early or late shifts fit your health and schedule.

Chipotle

Chipotle's careers page says all crew members qualify for Anthem Preventive Plus, dental, and vision. However, its benefits eligibility page generally references employees working 30-plus hours, with benefits beginning at hire or the following month.

Get written confirmation for a schedule below 30 hours. Preventive Plus covers certain doctor visits and generic prescriptions, but excludes inpatient hospitalization, emergency care, and brand-name prescriptions. The more comprehensive Hourly PPO has separate eligibility to verify.

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Amazon

Amazon's published benefits overview includes Class H employees scheduled for 20 to 29 hours weekly, with medical, dental, and vision benefits described as starting on day one.

The catch is job classification. Amazon says benefits vary by location, your schedule, how long you've worked there, and your job classification. Confirm the current package for the exact opening. A seasonal or flexible warehouse listing shouldn't automatically be treated as offering the same insurance.

IKEA

IKEA offers comprehensive benefits, including medical and prescription coverage, to eligible employees working at least 20 hours weekly. Its U.S. careers site says employees become eligible for health benefits in an average of 15 days.

That's an average, so ask for your specific effective date. Employees working fewer than 20 hours could still access many other benefits, but medical and prescription coverage aren't included. Check the position's guaranteed hours before counting on the coverage.

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's requires an average of 28 hours a week for medical coverage. Its current careers page advertises employee contributions starting at $25 monthly for eligible crew members.

The public page doesn't spell out the current new-hire waiting period. Ask when your measurement period begins and when insurance would actually start. Also ask how reduced schedules affect eligibility; being willing to work 28 hours doesn't necessarily mean receiving that many.

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Federal government

Permanent federal part-time positions generally involve 16 to 32 hours weekly and could qualify for Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage. Eligible new hires have 60 days to enroll; coverage generally starts with a qualifying pay period after enrollment, rather than immediately.

These employees receive the same coverage choices as full-timers. However, the government generally pays a smaller share of your premium when you work fewer hours, leaving part-timers paying a larger share. Temporary and intermittent appointments have different eligibility rules.

Bottom line

A part-time job with health benefits could make working fewer hours more affordable, especially before Medicare. Compare the actual coverage and total costs with a marketplace plan before accepting an offer. A low premium doesn't help much if the care you need isn't covered.

Also subtract commuting, parking, and other work expenses from what you'd earn and save on insurance. That gives you a clearer picture of whether the job could help you grow your wealth. A position closer to home might leave you with more money, even if the hourly wage is lower.

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