Part-Time/Adjunct Work Hour FAQs

As of July 1, 2013 all OTC employees who are not full-time must be classified as either part-time or adjunct. An employee can no longer be considered both part-time AND adjunct.

Part-time employees are restricted to a maximum number of work hours per week. Part-time employees earn a flat hourly rate. Adjunct employees are instructors who teach credit hour classes and are paid by the number of credit hours they teach.

Part-time employees are restricted to a maximum of 19.5 work hours per week. This 19.5 hour total is a combined total between all jobs at OTC.

Persons who are solely employed as adjunct instructors are restricted to a maximum of teaching nine (9) credit hours per semester (fall or spring) and/or 5 credit hours during the summer term. The maximum teaching load for the annual fiscal year (fall, spring, and summer) is 23 credit hours.

These credit hour limitations also apply to A and B block classes. Each 8-week class falls under the same restrictions as 16-week classes. Adjunct instructors are restricted to 5 credit hours per 8-week block.

The number of work hours per week is determined by the number of class meeting hours, class preparation, grading and other course-related time. PSRS restricts adjunct instructors to 17 work hours per week.

When teaching, work hours are calculated according to the following 1:2.25 ratio (based on a 50-minute class period):

1 lecture credit hour = 1.874 work hours/week    (50 minutes/60 minutes = .833 hours; .833 x 2.25 = 1.874)

9 lecture credit hours = 16.87 work hours per week, the maximum allowable

Please contact the Finance department for assistance in determining the credit hours per semester for these classes.

Retirees are allowed to work 550 clock hours per school year without harm to retirement benefits.

Retirees are exempt from the single employment classification status because of the limitations on their annual hourly workload. Hour maximums are calculated on the combined total between all work performed at OTC.

For part-time employment, the 19.5 hours week maximum limit applies up to the 550 hours/year total.

For adjunct teaching, credit hours are converted to clock hours at a 1:2.25 ratio–3 credit hours = 5.62 clock hours/week x 16 weeks or 90 clock hours for the semester.

A 9 credit-hour teaching load would equal 270 clock hours x 2 semesters = 540 clock hours.  Teaching 12 hours each semester (both fall & spring) will place a retiree in jeopardy of retirement benefits being withheld.  Retirees are restricted to teach a maximum of 18 credit hours over the entire academic year.

Yes. You may teach a maximum of 2 overload courses per semester with your supervisor’s permission.