What FTE means
Full-time equivalent (FTE) compares your contracted hours to a full-time post. 1.0 FTE is full time; 0.8 FTE often means four days out of five. Employers typically pro-rate basic salary by FTE, so 0.8 FTE on a given band receives roughly 80% of the full-time rate for that point.
FTE is a planning concept. Payroll may round, use sessional pay for teachers, or apply term-time formulas for support staff. Always check your contract.
Reduced and compressed hours patterns
Beyond simple part-time, public sector workers often request a four-day week (0.8 FTE), nine-day fortnight (0.9 FTE), term-time only working, or annualised hours. Each pattern changes how annual pay is calculated. Our work patterns hub includes both part-time and reduced or compressed hours calculators per role.
Eligibility depends on service needs and employer policy. Financial comparison before you apply helps structure conversations with HR.
Leave and sick pay when part-time
Annual leave is usually pro-rated by contracted weekly hours against the full-time hours for your sector (for example 37.5 hours on AfC). Sick pay entitlement (months on full pay and half pay) often stays the same in calendar terms but weekly pay during sick leave is based on actual earnings. Maternity and paternity pay references average earnings: part-time pay before leave affects statutory amounts.
Use the annual leave and sick pay hubs for your role after you set FTE in the work patterns calculator.
Four-step part-time planning journey
Our part-time planning journey walks through four calculators in order: (1) FTE and gross pay, (2) allowances, (3) pro-rated annual leave, (4) take-home pay. Band, years in band and FTE save in your browser between steps for the same role.
Pension and continuity of service
Part-time work usually remains pensionable in public sector schemes, with contributions based on actual pensionable pay. Some employers treat service as full-time for progression purposes even when pay is pro-rated; others apply different rules for probation or fixed-term contracts. Check your scheme factsheet and employer HR policy before changing hours permanently.
A temporary reduction (for example parental leave return on 0.8 FTE) may have different implications from a permanent job share. Document agreed hours in writing and keep payslips that show pensionable pay after the change.
Negotiating reduced hours fairly
Employers must consider flexible working requests reasonably. Prepare a financial comparison (full-time vs target FTE vs any allowances lost) before discussions. Factor in travel costs, childcare and pension tier changes, not only headline salary. Our calculators give a neutral starting point; your union or professional body can help with policy arguments where needed.