Trader Joe's To Drop Health Coverage For Part-Time Workers Under Obamacare

I started off working for a retailer that was right next to a trader joes. What I remember was that Trader Joes employees where always treated well.

They got paid well, and had health care, AS a result we constantly lost employees to them. It took me getting promoted to management to get health care in the Industry in general. Places like trader joes, Costco, In and Out, Starbucks. Always stood out as examples of how to treat employee Benefits, always providing the best, well it looks like thats starting to go away.

After extending health care coverage to many of its part-time employees for years, Trader Joe's has told workers who log fewer than 30 hours a week that they will need to find insurance on the Obamacare exchanges next year, according to a confidential memo from the grocer's chief executive.

In the memo to staff dated Aug. 30, Trader Joe's CEO Dan Bane said the company will cut part-timers a check for $500 in January and help guide them toward finding a new plan under the Affordable Care Act. The company will continue to offer health coverage to workers who carry 30 hours or more on average.

Well at least the company is trying to still do right by employees under the current plan, by giving them 500 to go toward health care annually, question is, is that enough?

Trader Joes to drop health coverage

reply to post by benrl

It is happening everywhere, you are spot on. Starbucks, Trader Joe's, etc. all the companies famous for treating their employees well have cut hours and abandoned their once meritorious behavior.

Be sure to hear Obama chastise them for being part of the great capitalist conspiracy.

The college did this with the adjunct instructors last semester. Keep it under 29 hours for their schedules, or freshen up the resume. They couldn't afford to keep any of the non-tenured above that, for that reason.

So everyone is going to be without healthcare AND without hours these days. Somehow I think we kinda got screwed on this deal? Where is that stuff we were supposed to find after it got passed? All I am finding is bad news by the truck load.

reply to post by wrabbit2000


Ya think ...
You will work 39 hours ,and get no coverage .Then if you have no,coverage,you have to buy it yourself,which you probably wont be able to afford on those 39 hours.
So then when you dont have coverage,the irs will come after you.
Yyeahhh,this is a brilliant plan

Obamacare is supposed to be the best thing that ever happened to healthcare.

Everyone gets free healthcare and if they wish get to keep their existing coverage.

Oh wait.....nope.......FAIL.

I recently ranted about good 'ol Obamacare. I'm still waiting for someone to show me WHO benefits from it (besides insurance companies)

greencmp
reply to post by benrl

 

It is happening everywhere, you are spot on. Starbucks, Trader Joe's, etc. all the companies famous for treating their employees well have cut hours and abandoned their once meritorious behavior.

Be sure to hear Obama chastise them for being part of the great capitalist conspiracy.

Its going to be a new era of Under-employment in the US.

A new class of people dropping from Middle to low middle class straight into poor.

Not the kinda change I think we all had in mind...

wrabbit2000
The college did this with the adjunct instructors last semester. Keep it under 29 hours for their schedules, or freshen up the resume. They couldn't afford to keep any of the non-tenured above that, for that reason.

So everyone is going to be without healthcare AND without hours these days. Somehow I think we kinda got screwed on this deal? Where is that stuff we were supposed to find after it got passed? All I am finding is bad news by the truck load.

edit on 12-9-2013 by wrabbit2000 because: (no reason given)

Yep, every employer no matter the field now has to take a long hard look at what they are willing to pay to keep their people full time.

Too many are finding its cheaper to higher more at less hours than a few at full, sure it helps the unemployment numbers but all thats doing is hiding the damage.

reply to post by benrl


Well, he did promise to help make everyone more equal, didn't he? We just didn't think he meant DROPPING the majority down to the lowest common denominator instead of raising those people UP. Surprise, eh?

reply to post by wrabbit2000

Well, he did promise to help make everyone more equal, didn't he? We just didn't think he meant DROPPING the majority down to the lowest common denominator instead of raising those people UP. Surprise, eh?

Details, details...

Here's an idea, put a note in obamas complaint box at the same time as golden corral and let's see who responds first.

reply to post by greencmp


Actually, there is a step beyond ATS...and if I see those drink charges appear after all, I'll take it. There is a site called, appropriately, Rip Off Report.

(Snipped rest...Off topic) Sorry Op.. I saw the reply and hadn't looked back at the thread. Bad on me for cross topic to something else just posted.

reply to post by wrabbit2000

(Snipped rest...Off topic) Sorry Op.. I saw the reply and hadn't looked back at the thread. Bad on me for cross topic to something else just posted.

That would be my fault!

Part time workers not getting help for insurance pre dates Obamacare. It does make a good excuse for those who still do to drop it and blame someone else. It's always about money and it is an employer's market.

wrabbit2000
reply to post by benrl

 

Well, he did promise to help make everyone more equal, didn't he? We just didn't think he meant DROPPING the majority down to the lowest common denominator instead of raising those people UP. Surprise, eh?

And back when before Obamacare, what laws were there to prevent the employers from dropping health coverage of part-timers because they felt like it?

None.

What laws are lawmakers opposed to Obamacare proposing to prevent this from happening once again if Obamacare is repealed?

None.

There is one big flaw which was insisted upon by the conservatives, which is the 30 hour/week cutoff. Suppose hypothetically employers didn't have to pay Social Security or Medicare taxes for people who worked less than 30 hours. Wouldn't everybody be screaming how Social Security is a "failure" ? Yes.

Are people opposed to Obamacare because of this effect proposing making the tax & benefit pro-rated just like the non-controversial Social Security and Medicare?

No.

Why not?

benrl

Its going to be a new era of Under-employment in the US.

A new class of people dropping from Middle to low middle class straight into poor.

Not the kinda change I think we all had in mind...

What change is this you are talking about? This was already happening in this country courtesy of the late not so great Regan.

reply to post by mbkennel

And back when before Obamacare, what laws were there to prevent the employers from dropping health coverage of part-timers because they felt like it?

...and back before Obamacare, perhaps every employer didn't have Uncle breathing down their neck. running their business for them and micromanaging every step of it as it happened.

I'm sorry, but whatever benefit you somehow see here...and I see none whatsoever...it's dramatically overshadowed by the catastrophe Obamacare is becoming.

Everyone this was supposed to help?? Is DEMANDING waivers from it. Even the Unions are now against it. I commend you for still hanging in there to defend this garbage. It takes spirit and dedication to stand in front of a burning building and say 'at least there won't be a bug infestation anymore!!". He still set our house on fire and one of the very best medical systems in the world is already falling into 3rd world status in some ways. If you're not insured now? Gooooooood luck. They say 30 million will NOT have ANY form of insurance....and that's damn near the number they said this was for in 2009. What improved!? The rest sure got screwed on the junk system that is here now though.