The 114th Congress officially convened last week, and since kicking things off, has taken up work on a number of issues. First, as anticipated, legislators are looking for small revisions they can make to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and are starting with the full-time workweek definition. The House by a 252-172 vote passed legislation that would waive fees on businesses that do not offer health insurance to employees working fewer than 40 hours per week. The current statute imposes fees on businesses that do not provide health insurance to employees who work 30 hours per week, and the workweek definition has been a priority issue for Republicans.
“We have all seen the headlines in recent years, headlines describing how employers are left with practically no choice but to cut workers’ hours in order to avoid the health care law’s punitive employer-mandate,” said House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN). “Put simply: the law punishes employers who provide workers with full-time jobs.”
