11 Best Part-time Jobs With Health Insurance Benefits (and Other Perks)

Going without medical coverage or losing access to affordable health insurance can be scary. It may feel as though expensive medical bills and debt are just one accident or illness away. As a result, most of us feel that health insurance is one of the types of insurance coverage we need.

If you find yourself in this situation, one option to get health care coverage could be applying to part-time jobs with health insurance. While health insurance is most often thought of as being reserved for full-time employees, more and more employers are now extending these kind of full-time benefits to their part-time workforce as well.

While health insurance is becoming an in-demand benefit even for part-time jobs, it is not a benefit that is required for part-time workers. When it is offered, it must at least meet the requirements outlined in the Affordable Care Act. And even though more part-time jobs with health insurance exist, it can still take some legwork to track them down.

If you need a part-time job to help you get health insurance, we've got you covered. We tracked down a dozen major employers that extend medical plans and some other truly great benefits to their part-time staff. These are some of the best jobs that offer benefits for part-time work.

Part-time employees become eligible for health insurance after clocking 240 work hours over the course of three consecutive months (an average of 20 hours per week). They must keep up this average to maintain eligibility for health insurance. Starbucks’ health coverage offerings include medical, dental, and vision plans.

Starbucks offers other valuable benefits to part-time employees, too. Its “College Achievement Plan” pays for 100% of tuition at Arizona State University’s online bachelor’s degree programs. Starbucks also has retirement benefits. It offers a generous 401k program that matches 100% of the first 5% of pay contributed, and fully vests immediately. Last but not least, Starbucks offers competitive paid time off that includes vacation time and sick leave. Turns out coffee isn't the only benefit to being a barista!

The online retailer has warehouses and offices around the U.S., and offers health insurance to part-time employees that are scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week. In addition to medical plans, Amazon also extends enrollment in dental and vision insurance plans to part-time workers.

On top of this, Amazon also provides a 401k with a 50% match of up to 4% of the employees’ pay (for a total match worth 2%). Part-time employees can also access flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for health care and dependent care, which allow them to use pretax earnings to cover qualifying expenses.

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Another place to look for part-time jobs with health insurance is at Walmart. This department store has health care options for both part-timers and full-time workers. It does specify that most employees must work an average of 30 hours per week, though some part-time workers can be eligible with as little as 24 hours per week.

Walmart has some other attractive elements in its benefits package, too, such as education assistance for training, degrees, or certificates relevant to retail work. It also offers bonuses for employees based on store performance, granted to both full- and part-time employees.

As a worker at this popular home improvement store, part-time associates can enroll in a preventive health care plan. This plan covers 100% of wellness visits and up to four primary care per year, as well as some coverage for prescription drugs. In addition to the medical plan, part-timers can also elect to enroll in a dental or vision plan. Lowe’s part-time employees become eligible for these health insurance plans after continuous employment for 89 days.

P.S. If home improvement is your thing, you should know that Home Depot also offers part-timer benefits that include dental and vision plans, disability insurance, and life insurance.

This warehouse retailer offers health coverage to part-time employees for medical care, vision and hearing, dental care, and prescription drugs. On top of this, Costco employees can access plans for short-term disability, life, or long-term care insurance.

Part-time employees are eligible in the second month after they have clocked at least 450 hours. Employees can add spouses, children, and domestic partners to their plans and pay part of these costs through payroll contributions.

At Ikea, workers are considered full-time when they work 20 hours or more per week. This gives part-time employees and their dependents access to similar benefits to those working up to 40 hours, including medical, dental, and vision plans.

The Swedish-based company also offers tuition assistance, parent insurance, generous paid time off, and discounts on store items and meals.

Part-time workers at the United Parcel Service, or UPS, receive medical, dental, vision, hearing, and other coverage through TeamstersCare. They will need to work more than 225 hours in a three-month period to be eligible for these employee benefits, which is equal to about 19 hours per week.

Delta employees qualify for health benefits including medical, vision, and dental insurance as long as they are regularly scheduled to work 30 hours or more a week. Eligible employees can also enroll dependents in the plans, such as a legal spouse, domestic partner, or a child.

In addition to health coverage, Delta employees also get travel privileges after being with the company for 30 days. This offers free or reduced-cost travel to any destination Delta flies to for the employee and family members.

At Chipotle, all hourly crew members are eligible for preventive health care benefits — with no minimum weekly hour requirements. Any crew member may also enroll in a vision care or dental coverage plan, as well. Plus, Chipotle employees who work more than 30 hours per week for 12 months also have the option to enroll in a PPO plan.

Other benefits can make this job even more worthwhile, such as generous PTO and access to 401(k) retirement plans. Chipotle’s 401(k) match is worth up to 4% of total pay, and employees are eligible for it after a continuous year of employment during which they clocked 1,000 hours. Its tuition assistance plan also offers to reimburse up to $5,250 in qualifying education costs per year for eligible employees.

Outdoor and sports retailer REI offers medical benefits for employees who work an average of 20 hours or more per week over a 12-month period.

REI also offers competitive time off, including a “Yay Day” every six months, which is a paid day off to get outdoors. Employees also get generous discounts on gear and experience, and can even get “adventure grants” to reimburse some costs of trying a new outdoor activity.

Health food store Whole Foods has long been a leader in offering stellar benefits for part-time employees. Yet it changed its policy in September 2019, moving its hours threshold to qualify for health insurance from 20 per week to 30, according to Business Insider.

Despite this change, Whole Foods Market is still a viable option to get health insurance for workers who can commit to 30 hours or more per week. Employees also get a 20% in-store discount when shopping at Whole Foods, with the chance to up this to 30% after six months.

With the average bronze health insurance premium costing $331 per month, according to Kaiser Family Foundation, health insurance could be out of reach for people who can’t get it through a full-time employer.

While you could start a side hustle or work a weekend job in your pursuit of how to make extra cash, seeking a part-time job to get health insurance can be a smart option for people who can’t find or commit to a full-time job — but who also don’t want to cover health insurance premiums out of pocket. You may also be interested in benefits a side hustle can't provide you, like a retirement plan or tuition reimbursement.

People who fall into this category could include:

• Freelancers or self-employed workers who are growing a business
• Full-time college students working toward a degree
• Job seekers who are looking to cover the gap in health coverage
• Side hustlers looking for a side job with perks
• Parents who want to work fewer hours
• Workers with an illness or health condition
• Early retirees who have quit traditional employment

Finding a part-time job with health insurance means your health care doesn’t depend on full-time employment. When you're more interested in how to get health insurance than how to make money, one of these jobs may be right for you. This list above is a great way to kickstart your search for part-time jobs with health insurance.

In addition, you may want to check for companies that offer other benefits like childcare or elder care. Research companies and their benefits to see what they offer and whether they publish information on health coverage for part-timers and other part-time benefits. And if you get an interview or a chance to speak with a manager, ask about the company’s health plans and the requirements to enroll in them.

What is a good high paying part-time job?

There are many high paying part-time jobs in different industries. For example, some part-time positions that pay well above the minimum wage include:

• Computer support/tech support specialists: The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that median wages are $26.33 per hour. If you have the knowledge, you can offer your services part time and command a high wage.
• Exercise trainers/fitness instructors: According to the bureau, the median hourly wage for trainers and instructors is $19.42. Again, you can often teach classes or arrange meetings with clients on your own schedule.
• Medical transcriptionists: The median average salary for this profession is $16.05 per hour according to the bureau and many people can do it from home.

What are the advantages of a part-time job?

There are many advantages to a part-time job. Part-time jobs provide more flexibility in scheduling so you can do them while going to school or taking care of children. They may be easier to obtain than full-time jobs because an employer isn't making as big of a commitment to you. And you can choose to work one or more part-time jobs to try out different professions or build your resume.

How many hours in a day is a part-time job?

The Fair Labor Standards Act doesn't provide an official definition of a part-time job. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics defines a part-time job as one lasting fewer than 35 hours per week, and the IRS defines it as working between 16 and 32 hours per week.

Can I get unemployment if I have a part-time job?

You may be eligible for unemployment benefits if you have worked part time. Each state sets its own eligibility rules, but you're generally required to fulfill minimum work requirements in the months before applying for unemployment. Although you do not have to work full time to fulfill these requirements, your benefits will be lower if you've worked only part time.

If you are currently working part time, you may also collect unemployment in most states, but the amount you receive in benefits may be reduced by your earnings from your part-time job.