House Passes ACA Amendment Bill

The retail industry today applauded the House passage of H.R. 2575, or the Save American Workers Act, which aims to change the definition of a full-time employee under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from 30 to 40 hours per week per month.

Peter J. Larkin, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association (NGA), noted that the 30-hour definition “does not reflect the needs of our members' workforces, and will impact the makeup of the entire American workforce by drastically altering what opportunities are available to part-time workers who choose to work part-time jobs.”

“The definitional change will allow our members to return their focus to being an employer of choice in the communities they serve,” Larkin added.

"There is a growing consensus that the ACA’s re-defining a full-time employee as someone who averages 30-hours per week is impacting the American workforce—both in workers’ take-home pay and operating a variable-hour business like a supermarket,” said FMI Senior VP of Government and Public Affairs Jennifer Hatcher.

Hatcher noted that the bill provides “additional flexibility that allows food retailers and wholesalers to continue offering quality, affordable health coverage to their employees.”
Both associations thanked House members and urged the bill’s swift passage through the Senate.