ObamaCare and the Shift to Part-Time Work

[mystery-ak]

http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/08/07/obamacare-and-shift-part-time-work

ObamaCare and the shift to part-time work

BY PHILIP KLEIN , Washington Examiner


Ever since President Obama’s health care program was signed into law, there have been anecdotal reports of business executives pledging to shift more workers to part-time to get around the law’s mandate that larger employers provide full-time workers acceptable insurance coverage, or face costly taxes.

But now, there is empirical evidence that there has been a broader shift to increased part-time work in the U.S. economy.

Jed Graham of Investor’s Business Daily, who reviewed the latest findings from the Current Population Survey, a joint report from the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics, concluded:

Even as the number of people working has grown by 2.2 million, or 1.6%, over the past year, the number clocking 30 to 34 hours a week has shrunk.

In the second quarter, the number of workers putting in 30 to 34 hours at their primary job fell by a monthly average of 146,500, or 1.4%, from a year earlier.

By comparison, the number working 25-29 hours per week in their primary job rose by 119,000, or 2.7%.

[Oceander]

I've seen anecdotal evidence of this:  a Burger King I drive past frequently just put out a "now hiring" sign that specifically states the store is hiring part time for up to 25 hours a week.  Prior to Obastardcare you would rarely if ever see that sort of a limitation on a "now hiring" sign for a business that hires a lot of part timers.  To me it means that this Burger King, at least, is going to enforce the time rules with an iron fist to make damned sure they can get their business done without getting socked in the face by Obamacare.

Unfortunately, it also means that those who take those jobs will be permanently stuck in a part time position and never given the opportunity to show their commitment to work by taking on more hours.  In a word, Obamacare is creating a permanent caste of low-income, part-time, underemployed individuals and is denying them one of the more reliable means of escaping that mileu.