Staples cuts hours for part time employees

I subscribe to change.org and got this in my email.

My name is "Sue," and I work at Staples. I can't tell you my full name because I'm afraid I'll lose my job for what I'm about to tell you: Staples recently decided to cut part-time employees' hours just so they won't have to provide health care benefits under Obamacare.

Staples is taking advantage of a loophole in the health care law that says employers don't have to provide coverage for employees who work less than 30 hours a week. Staples also told managers to hire more part time workers if they need people to cover the schedule.

Cutting employees' hours just to avoid paying for health care is not right. I can't afford to make less money than I do now without taking on another job. That's why I started a petition on Change.org asking Staples to not cut part-time employees' hours and comply with Obamacare. Will you join me by signing my petition?
I've worked as an Easy-Tech Representative for 9 years now, selling thousands of computers, protection plans, and services. I typically work 30-35 hours in a week, so when I was told that my hours would be cut, I was heartbroken. I recently got married and we have a baby on the way -- 25 hours a week is not enough to make ends meet, let alone start a family.

Staples doesn't want to provide health care to its employees -- but there is hope. Other chain employers such as Darden Restaurants (owners of Olive Garden and Red Lobster) reversed similar cuts after intense public pressure. And other corporations like Starbucks have pledged not to reduce part time hours.

By signing my petition, you'll be amplifying the voices of thousands of Staples employees across the country who are afraid to speak out and can't afford to have their hours cut. Click here to sign my petition demanding Staples follow the law and provide health care instead of cutting part-time employees' hours.
Thank you for your support.

"Sue" Whistleblower

So what we have is either increased prices at stores as customers now pay healthcare, or employees hours are cut.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


She simply hasn't been paying attention. People have been screaming at the top of their lungs that this was going to happen ever since they got a good look at the bill. What was she doing with her life?

Everyone who cares about this dilemma should just stop shopping at Staples...both in person and online. I had planned on going to Staples to pick up some office supplies tomorrow after church. Instead, I'll go to Office Max.

Big corporations don't care how many petitions are circulated, but they do care about actions that negatively affect revenue!
-cwm

reply to post by ketsuko


Well I am one of those who predicted this. If they give them health insurance it will be paid for with higher prices.

carewemust
Everyone who cares about this dilemma should just stop shopping at Staples...both in person and online. I had planned on going to Staples to pick up some office supplies tomorrow after church. Instead, I'll go to Office Max.

Big corporations don't care how many petitions are circulated, but they do care about actions that negatively affect revenue!
-cwm

Can you show me proof of office max gicing part time employees health insurance?

reply to post by carewemust


You're right. They do, and Obamacare is one big stinker in that respect. You can't pass something that makes it too expensive to cover their employees and expect them to continue doing it.

It's like throwing a giant boulder in a lake and expecting there to be no ripples. Did you honestly expect that everything else about the economy would remain static?

OccamsRazor04
reply to post by ketsuko

 

Well I am one of those who predicted this. If they give them health insurance it will be paid for with higher prices.

Only so far. If the public isn't willing to accept those higher prices, then Staples goes out of business and no one even has a job to whine about anymore.

Companies have been doing this for years. It isn't new because of Obamacare, you will just be seeing a lot more of it with Obamacare in action. Who can blame Staples? There are a ton of businesses who only provide insurance to their full time employees (usually 35/40 hours weekly). Some pay the full premiums for their full time employees. Some will pay partial premiums on part time employees after 1 year of employment (Wal-Mart).

Staples won't be the only ones using this loophole, so folks might as well get all of their "mad" out now. Companies said they would take this action if they were going to be forced to pay for insurance... you can argue whether it is right or wrong for them to do it, but it is still their choice (at least for now) and THEY DID warn folks that they would have to change things around if Obamacare passed. Nobody listened. Now some are shocked.

I feel bad for the woman and all that are affected, but other people have been working in places with the same policies she is just now experiencing for years. It is what it is and we will be seeing a lot more of it in the near future.

ketsuko

OccamsRazor04
reply to post by ketsuko

 

Well I am one of those who predicted this. If they give them health insurance it will be paid for with higher prices.

Only so far. If the public isn't willing to accept those higher prices, then Staples goes out of business and no one even has a job to whine about anymore.

Well if every company does it then the higher prices will be unavoidable. The worst case scenario would be the chains that do it go out of business due to high prices, then huge amounts of jobs would be lost.

Kangaruex4Ewe
Companies have been doing this for years. It isn't new because of Obamacare, you will just be seeing a lot more of it with Obamacare in action.

Yes it is. Previously a part time employee could work 30-40 hours and feed their families. Now they can no longer work the same hours.

OccamsRazor04

carewemust
Everyone who cares about this dilemma should just stop shopping at Staples...both in person and online. I had planned on going to Staples to pick up some office supplies tomorrow after church. Instead, I'll go to Office Max.

Big corporations don't care how many petitions are circulated, but they do care about actions that negatively affect revenue!
-cwm

Can you show me proof of office max gicing part time employees health insurance?

NO..I can't, because I don't have the slightest idea if Office Max offers health insurance for part-time employees. Only that Staples does NOT.

But actually, some part-time and full-time employees in this country are getting a better deal at HealthCare.gov than they got from their employer's Group health insurance plan. If you don't make too much money, losing high-deductible health insurance at work can be a blessing.
-cwm

OccamsRazor04

Kangaruex4Ewe
Companies have been doing this for years. It isn't new because of Obamacare, you will just be seeing a lot more of it with Obamacare in action.

Yes it is. Previously a part time employee could work 30-40 hours and feed their families. Now they can no longer work the same hours.

I am not sure what you are trying to convey? I am seriously not being sarcastic... I just don't understand. Are you saying that some companies have not always only covered their full time employees, are you saying that it is new that companies are cutting hours to avoid paying insurance, or neither?

I do apologize and I have had some medicine, so it may just be me. I have tried really hard to make this sound as NON sarcastic as I could and I hope it doesn't come across as such.

carewemust

OccamsRazor04

carewemust
Everyone who cares about this dilemma should just stop shopping at Staples...both in person and online. I had planned on going to Staples to pick up some office supplies tomorrow after church. Instead, I'll go to Office Max.

Big corporations don't care how many petitions are circulated, but they do care about actions that negatively affect revenue!
-cwm

Can you show me proof of office max gicing part time employees health insurance?

NO..I can't, because I don't have the slightest idea if Office Max offers health insurance for part-time employees. Only that Staples does NOT.

But actually, some part-time and full-time employees in this country are getting a better deal at HealthCare.gov than they got from their employer's Group health insurance plan. If you don't make too much money, losing high-deductible health insurance at work can be a blessing.
-cwm

So you are going to make decisions based on pure ignorance? Office Max could treat employees even worse. Do you currently buy health insurance for anyone not in your family? Giving every part time employee in this country health insurance means you soon will be, as the additional cost will 100% be shifted to consumers (customers).

Kangaruex4Ewe

OccamsRazor04

Kangaruex4Ewe
Companies have been doing this for years. It isn't new because of Obamacare, you will just be seeing a lot more of it with Obamacare in action.

Yes it is. Previously a part time employee could work 30-40 hours and feed their families. Now they can no longer work the same hours.

I am not sure what you are trying to convey? I am seriously not being sarcastic... I just don't understand. Are you saying that some companies have not always only covered their full time employees, are you saying that it is new that companies are cutting hours to avoid paying insurance, or neither?

I do apologize and I have had some medicine, so it may just be me. I have tried really hard to make this sound as NON sarcastic as I could and I hope it doesn't come across as such.

No, I am saying PART TIME employees were not previously covered. Obamacare basically says part time employees either have to work less, or be given expensive benefits. Previously if you took a part time employee job (guaranteed 20 hours a week) and asked to pick up more shifts it was no problem. Win Win for everyone. Now if you take a 20 hour a week job and want to pick up more shifts the company MUST say no, or be forced to provide you health insurance.

OccamsRazor04

Kangaruex4Ewe

OccamsRazor04

Kangaruex4Ewe
Companies have been doing this for years. It isn't new because of Obamacare, you will just be seeing a lot more of it with Obamacare in action.

Yes it is. Previously a part time employee could work 30-40 hours and feed their families. Now they can no longer work the same hours.

I am not sure what you are trying to convey? I am seriously not being sarcastic... I just don't understand. Are you saying that some companies have not always only covered their full time employees, are you saying that it is new that companies are cutting hours to avoid paying insurance, or neither?

I do apologize and I have had some medicine, so it may just be me. I have tried really hard to make this sound as NON sarcastic as I could and I hope it doesn't come across as such.

No, I am saying PART TIME employees were not previously covered. Obamacare basically says part time employees either have to work less, or be given expensive benefits. Previously if you took a part time employee job (guaranteed 20 hours a week) and asked to pick up more shifts it was no problem. Win Win for everyone. Now if you take a 20 hour a week job and want to pick up more shifts the company MUST say no, or be forced to provide you health insurance.

Ahh! Ok. I got it. Thank you for that as I was reading and rereading and you are correct on that point. I think this will affect a lot of the people it was mainly supposed to help in the long run. Just as in your example alone, folks are going to be hurt big time. Especially those who take on seasonal work. I wonder how that will have to work now as well.

The "free" aspect of this should have hit more people like a brick wall. There is no free. Somebody, somewhere will have to pay for it. The costs will be sprinkled throughout all goods and services to even out the expense and that's going to hurt. It's a mess. It's certainly more complicated than (I think) most people assumed it would be.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


And for those of us barely getting by, increased healthcare costs for our own care, and then increased price of goods and services to pay for the increased cost to companies will be extremely detrimental to the economy I think.

Just to add to this a bit? I was hearing some faculty at the school and a large number of students working outside school saying this last year. The "29 hour" work week seems to be coming as the norm in industries where it's practical (which is a whole lot of them, really).

I think it may actually be cheaper to hire 2 part timers (and make 2 people underemployed) than hire one with those required benefits now (to have 1 fully employed and happy).

I don't wonder anymore why staff and employees seem rude more and more. Workplaces are getting to be pretty crappy places for the spending power of the monthly income vs. the headaches now coming with it.

Obamacare and the 29-Hour Ceiling

Folks hope they have some change left after paying bills these days.

OccamsRazor04
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

And for those of us barely getting by, increased healthcare costs for our own care, and then increased price of goods and services to pay for the increased cost to companies will be extremely detrimental to the economy I think.

Absolutely. I have been uninsured for far longer than I would like because of the cost. The cost quote for ACA is more than I can currently afford myself. We live hand to mouth as it stands.... so I completely feel you. It's concerning to say the least.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Just to add to that, it's part of the reason why the employment numbers look better than they are. People have lost professional jobs, and then replaced them with part time work. Many of the "created" jobs were actually just splitting 1 part time position into 2.

Kangaruex4Ewe

OccamsRazor04
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

And for those of us barely getting by, increased healthcare costs for our own care, and then increased price of goods and services to pay for the increased cost to companies will be extremely detrimental to the economy I think.

Absolutely. I have been uninsured for far longer than I would like because of the cost. The cost quote for ACA is more than I can currently afford myself. We live hand to mouth as it stands.... so I completely feel you. It's concerning to say the least.

I am one of the lucky few that has a good plan I can afford and cost did not rise. I am on the State health plan, our costs did not rise, and due to a complex solution have potentially seen a decent decrease if I only use Dr.'s affiliatd with the hospital I work at.