Short answer:
Full time temp = associate on a contract who is scheduled for 37.5+ hours per week. They can be paid in an hourly or salary manner. They are not eligible for 401k, health insurance, life insurance, etc through the employer.
Permanent employee = associate on a “standard” at-will employment basis who is scheduled for 37.5+ hours per week (hourly or salary) and are eligible for full benefits and other perks (corporate parties or bonuses for example).
Long answer:
It does not differ state to state. Most labor laws are at the federal level (only some distinctions in types of pay and classifications of compensation change from state to state…admittedly I am really summarizing it there).
Temp associates often have 32 or less hours per week and therefore are classified as part time. However, anyone working a 37.5 hour or more per week schedule is classified as a full time associate. The terminology changes from company to company…but in the case of Blizz its really about those who are permanent staff compared to being contract staff. Contract staff do not get bene packages or other perks that permanent staff get. Hence some testimony like the one from Jordan states badge color and its importance (my employer does a similar thing, different color badges signify different employment states as well as divisions).
