The Part-time Worker Society

[BedellBrave]

Thank you President Obama (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-15/behold-part-time-worker-society-we-wont-start-hiring-full-time-people)

[AerchAngel]

Thank you President Obama (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-15/behold-part-time-worker-society-we-wont-start-hiring-full-time-people)

Obamacare is going to force businesses to keep workers hours under the requirement so they can keep their bottom line and stay in business.

[50PoundHead]

This has been going on for years. In 1976 when I was working at Sears/Roebuck, we could not work more than three 40-hour weeks in a row, because if we did, they'd have to designate us as full-time. I just love the way that the current President is responsible for trends that predate the Reagan administration.

[pfiggy]

Ah have nuthin' to contribute, except hiya Beds.......

[BedellBrave]

This has been going on for years. In 1976 when I was working at Sears/Roebuck, we could not work more than three 40-hour weeks in a row, because if we did, they'd have to designate us as full-time. I just love the way that the current President is responsible for trends that predate the Reagan administration.


Yeah, and ACA isn't responsible for any of this most recent shift to PT workers. Good grief.

[BedellBrave]

Ah have nuthin' to contribute, except hiya Beds.......

What's up pfiggy? Good to see you in these parts.

[50PoundHead]

You know Bedell, you're infernal hand-wringing gets a little bit old. The lower and middle classes have been under full-scale assault in this country since the mid-1970s and the recent trends are just extensions of that. What has happened with the ACA has contributed, but it's the tip of the iceberg given the loss of purchasing power due to bad tax policy and a full-scale retrenchment on wages and benefits by private sector employers.

[Julio3000]

Yeah, dude, save the crocodile tears, unless you want to get on the picket lines and protest Wal-Mart, for whom managing worker hours to avoid paying benefits has been SOP forever.

I've got an idea! Allow workers to collectively barg—nah, never mind.

[sturg33]

It seems really strange to me that corporate profits are at an all-time high, and unemployment simply is not moving.

With all the free pieces of paper the fed is giving to the economy, you would think the unemployment rate would have moved by now. But nope, just the steady devaluation of our money.

But I don't think anyone can deny O's utter failure of ending the corporatism in this country and turning the economy around.

[Metaphysicist]

I don't think anyone can deny O's utter failure of ending the corporatism in this country

I'd deny it, since you have to actual attempt something to fail at it.

[Metaphysicist]

Also, this is my thought on this thread:

http://www.lolbrary.com/content/875/thanks-again-obama-37875.gif

[sturg33]

I'd deny it, since you have to actual attempt something to fail at it.

Fair enough...

He seemed to campaign a lot about it though

[BedellBrave]

You know Bedell, you're infernal hand-wringing gets a little bit old. The lower and middle classes have been under full-scale assault in this country since the mid-1970s and the recent trends are just extensions of that. What has happened with the ACA has contributed, but it's the tip of the iceberg given the loss of purchasing power due to bad tax policy and a full-scale retrenchment on wages and benefits by private sector employers.


Good. ACA has contributed to more and more folks looking at PT employment. Of course there are other factors and longstanding ones that play into the employment makeup of the American economy. But I do think all legislation is up for critique don't you? When legislators push these monstrous bills you can be certain there will be unintended negative consequences. I believe ACA seems especially fraught with them, don't you?

Call it hand-wringing if you'd like. By why call a pig a gazelle?

[BedellBrave]

Yeah, dude, save the crocodile tears, unless you want to get on the picket lines and protest Wal-Mart, for whom managing worker hours to avoid paying benefits has been SOP forever.

I've got an idea! Allow workers to collectively barg—nah, never mind.


No tears here. Would you prefer that I throw a pep-rally for this bit of legislation? Are you happy that the ACA has exacerbated the problems?

[Metaphysicist]

No tears here. Would you prefer that I throw a pep-rally for this bit of legislation? Are you happy that the ACA has exacerbated the problems?

ACA hasn't even been fully implemented. I am not convinced that in the long term part-time workers won't be better off.

[sturg33]

I can say that ACA has tripled my health insurance premiums....

[Metaphysicist]

Which part of the ACA made that happen?

[GMAJAH25]

I dont understand why its ok for Corporations to earn the same, if not more...but workers are the ones who must sacrifice? Corps are probably extremely excited that they can increase their greed and have someone to blame for screwing the bones of the company.

[GMAJAH25]

Why do health insurance companies insist of charging hundreds of dollars a month for "insurance"...then charge a co-pay for a visit...run your insurance, get a procedure done...then when its time to pay the bill they say, uh...no we arent paying that.

So 4 months of my insurance cost could have covered the cost of the procedure(probably less considering cash payment is "discounted")...instead I just get screwed.

[BedellBrave]

ACA hasn't even been fully implemented. I am not convinced that in the long term part-time workers won't be better off.


Yes, it is not fully implemented but can't the legislation generate problems before full implementation? Maybe it has long-term benefits, but at this rate, will the legislation actually ever get there? Or might the better option be to go in the more radical direction that I believe you favor? Or scrapping as much of the current legislation as feasible and start over?

[BedellBrave]

I dont understand why its ok for Corporations to earn the same, if not more...but workers are the ones who must sacrifice? Corps are probably extremely excited that they can increase their greed and have someone to blame for screwing the bones of the company.

Maybe the best way to view things is to see all of us as being greedy and screw-ups and work upon the presumption that individuals - those operating corporations and those running government and those that are looking for jobs, receiving wages or government assistance are all sinners and be a bit suspicious of all - especially suspicious of ourselves?

Seems like libertarians fail to appreciate sufficiently the fallenness of the individual.

Seems like liberals fail to appreciate sufficiently the fallenness of those pulling the levers of government.

And it seems like conservatives fail to appreciate sufficiently the fallenness of those running businesses.

[Metaphysicist]

Yes, it is not fully implemented but can't the legislation generate problems before full implementation? Maybe it has long-term benefits, but at this rate, will the legislation actually ever get there? Or might the better option be to go in the more radical direction that I believe you favor? Or scrapping as much of the current legislation as feasible and start over?

The bulk of the central instruments of the PPACA (the exchanges, the mandate, medicare expansion) have not come into effect yet. It seems incredibly premature to make any judgements about the efficacy of the legislation at this point.

True, I would much rather have a single payer system, but I don't see a PPACA failure as making that more likely. I'm willing to at least give this setup a chance. In theory, it could work.

[goldfly]

good

maybe we will become a nation that works to live

instead of the pathetic society of living to work

[sturg33]

Which part of the ACA made that happen?

The new legislation forced my company to offer a "basic" package for employees who work for home or who didn't want to pay for the regular insurance. This was subsidized via us. Not to mention - we did significantly reduce contractor and part time hours to comply with the bar.

[BedellBrave]

Meta, why exactly is the administration talking about delaying the employer mandate? Is it not because of the very sort of thing that the original article link suggested? As companies gear towards being able to comply with ACA regulations they are moving toward a more PT labor force model?

[Metaphysicist]

The new legislation forced my company to offer a "basic" package for employees who work for home or who didn't want to pay for the regular insurance. This was subsidized via us. Not to mention - we did significantly reduce contractor and part time hours to comply with the bar.

How big is your company?

[sturg33]

How big is your company?

About 20,000 employees globally. Private company

[Metaphysicist]

Meta, why exactly is the administration talking about delaying the employer mandate? Is it not because of the very sort of thing that the original article link suggested? As companies gear towards being able to comply with ACA regulations they are moving toward a more PT labor force model?

I dunno.

[Julio3000]

So . . . scrap the ACA and replace it with what, exactly?

[ESP47]

http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2013/07/restaurant%20vs%20mfg%20jobs_0.jpg

The drop off is even worse from 2000-2008. How come you guys conveniently ignore that? Wait...who was the president from 2000-2008 anyway? I think we should vote in one of his buddies! Yeah he'll save us and bring higher paying manufacturing jobs back to America alright!

When you guys get it through your thick skulls that neither party gives two craps about you, maybe we'll actually vote in someone worth a damn for once. Instead you waste your time picking and choosing statistics while turning a blind eye to the fact that your beloved party that you think cares so much about you had completely screwed us over the same way the idiot we currently have in office is doing.

[Tapate50]

ACA is going to be debilitating to large companies with low skilled labor forces. The reason ACA mandates are being pushed back is because no one is ready. They aren't ready for the fines (which some are prepared to pay vs the health care costs), the regs, or any of it. They just know they have to be under 50 EEs or 30 hours to designate part time labor. Most of your young workers have been cut back to part time along with much of the hospitality industry.

If you think inflation has been bad in the past 5 years or so, don't cry when you see what this bill does to farm expenses and the price of your food. It is gonna hit everyone in their wallet everytime you go buy something in my opinion.

The price of insurance goes up as you get older and have health problems. I'm sorry, but thats just underwriting. They aren't in business to lose money.

Also, I saw some asanine post earlier about limiting what corporations can make from a profit standpoint... Thats pure UnAmerican Freedom hating at its finest. No one, government, neighbor, or mayor should be able to put a cap on the amount of money my company can generate. That is crazy talk, and you need crazy pills.

[sturg33]

So . . . scrap the ACA and replace it with what, exactly?

Nothing?