AbstractThis article examines the working‐time preferences of women working 20‐hour weeks, on different, stable schedules, in manufacturing jobs. The authors conducted qualitative and quantitative research to identify worker profiles based on these women's working‐time preferences and the reasons for them. Their findings add nuance to previous research by highlighting that: (1) some, but not all, of these employees can be considered underemployed; (2) working 20 hours a week does not equate to low work centrality and is compatible with working hours being experienced as meaningful; (3) some part‐time women workers want to keep time for non‐caring, non‐working activities despite earning a low salary.