Obamacare’s 30-Hour Workweek Challenged by GOP

The Fiscal Times ^ | 2/19/14 | Brianna Ehley

[Libloather]

Congressional Republicans will return to Capitol Hill next week with Obamacare in their crosshairs.

They’ll take aim at a provision in the law that defines “full- time employees” as those working 30 hours or more. Under Obamacare’s employer mandate, companies with 50 or more “full-time” employees will be required to offer health insurance to their workers or pay a penalty if at least one of their employees purchases a plan through the healthcare marketplace with a federal subsidy.

In an Op-Ed published in the National Review Online, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said the House will be focusing on changing the law’s definition of “full-time employees” to workers logging more than 40 hours a week or 174 hours a month for full-time equivalents.

Republicans and business proponents of the legislation say the current provision incentivizes companies to shift their full-time workers to part-time status just below the 30 hours threshold in order to avoid paying for employee health insurance.

[Libloather]

It may mean less time for writing poetry.

[GeronL]

The Tyranny of Work raises its ugly head thanks to the Republicans....

[Timmy]

Why should they work to make this monstrosity more palatable?

[The Working Man]

And who says that companies will allow their new “Part-time” people to go back to full-time now?

They’ll just get to keep moving people onto ObamaCare with the option of having some full-time employees as required. I wonder if some in the GOPe think of this as a Win-WIn?

[rfp1234]

If they want to regulate their own federal workers, have at it.

But I challenge the notion that 'Congross' (or the 'Execrable' and 'Jaundicial' branches) should have anything to do with defining what a private sector "employee" is, and mandating what benefits or wages that person should get.

That used to be negotiable between the employer and the worker (in the Paleozoic Era).

[NewHampshireDuo]

Having Obamacare “in the crosshairs” implies to me that they want to kill it. Instead they are just going to help Obama.

[flaglady47]

It’s all a moot point anyhow, as this legislation will never make it through the Senate or Obama’s veto, so it is an exercise in futility.

[clearcarbon]

"They’ll take aim at a provision in the law that defines “full- time employees” as those working 30 hours or more."

That's a clever way of concealing both his obamacare failure and his economic policy failures. Why not just call 20 hours full time employment and so double the number of jobs. Simple and typical obamian economics.

[DungeonMaster]

They didn’t even challenge Obama when he removed the work requirement for welfare.

[conservaKate]

When these jokers start working full time on what they were elected to do...and going to fund raisers doesn’t count...we could maybe consider paying their bloated health benefits. Although since most of these jokers are also wealthy, why the heck aren’t they buying their own health insurance?

Other things that don’t count as work: golf trips, lunches, dinners, junkets, tv and radio appearances.

I also don’t think we should be subsidizing their meals or any living expenses.

I’m sure I could go on and on. I’m feeling snarly tonight and not particularly happy w/ any politician right now. It feels like the world is blowing apart and there’s not a darn thing being done by anyone. The MSM and Pol’s are blowing up stupid crap as being important...meanwhile important stuff is being swept under the rug.

[Graewoulf]

Make this a true year of action: Impeach Soetoro-Obama in 2014, PERIOD.

[Foundahardheadedwoman]

I second that motion.

[VerySadAmerican]

So, the republicans are saying it’ll be okay if workers’ hours are cut to 39. Anyone who thinks the republicans have any intention of getting rid of obamacare should have their heads examined.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Libloather.