The answer
780 hours a year
15 hours × 52 weeks = 780. That is 65 hours a month on average and 30 hours every two weeks.
Fifteen hours is the kind of schedule a student or someone with a second job works: three five-hour shifts. This schedule is 37.5% of a 40-hour week and counts as part-time work.
How the hours break down
| Measure | Hours |
|---|---|
| Per week | 15 |
| Per bi-weekly period | 30 |
| Per semi-monthly period (average) | 32.5 |
| Per month (average) | 65 |
| Per quarter | 195 |
| Per year (52 weeks) | 780 |
Spread over a 5-day week that is 3 hours a day; over a 4-day week 3.75 hours a day; over 3 days 5 hours a day.
Worked example
15 hours a week at $20 an hour
Weekly gross = 15 h × $20 = $300.00. Annual = $300.00 × 52 = $15,600.00. Two unpaid weeks would remove $600.00, leaving $15,000.00.
Pay at common hourly rates
| Hourly rate | Weekly | 52 weeks | 50 weeks (2 unpaid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00/h | $225.00 | $11,700.00 | $11,250.00 |
| $20.00/h | $300.00 | $15,600.00 | $15,000.00 |
| $25.00/h | $375.00 | $19,500.00 | $18,750.00 |
| $30.00/h | $450.00 | $23,400.00 | $22,500.00 |
All figures are gross, before taxes.
If you have unpaid time off
| Scenario | Hours per year | Hours per month |
|---|---|---|
| Paid all 52 weeks | 780 h | 65 h |
| 2 unpaid weeks | 750 h | 62.5 h |
| 4 unpaid weeks | 720 h | 60 h |
Overtime
At 15 hours a week there is no federal overtime. You would need 25 more hours in a workweek to reach 40; any hours beyond that are overtime for non-exempt employees. See overtime rules and the calculator for state differences.