The Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) and the IRS define a full-time employee as someone who works at least 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month. The U.S. Department of Labor does not define this term. If your business is not regarded by the IRS as an Applicable Large Employer (ALE), then these definitions could not apply to you. Companies with less than 50 workers are often not regarded as ALEs, however, this is subject to change for a variety of reasons. For the purpose of getting certain benefits, state laws may also define full-time, and legislation like COBRA may also have an impact.