Star
Gold Member
- Apr 5, 2009
- 2,532
- 614
- 190
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Trader Joe's did the math then-----then decided, rather than offering healthcare through an employee group plan, many of their part time employees will be able to purchase individual insurance via the health insurance exchanges for less than they could offer employee group insurance to their part time employees and-----and just to sweeten the pot and ensure that their employees health insurance needs are taken care of, Trader Joe's will be giving their part time employees a $500 stipend/year toward covering the cost (if any) of purchasing individual health insurance.
Because Obamacare lowers the cost of healthcare for virtually all Americans making less than $80,000 a year, and makes it almost free for most Americans making under $40,000 a year, it weakens the hold that both employers and unions have on employees.
The flipside of this is that it makes it easier for workers to go out and start businesses, or move to a place of employment where they feel more fulfilled, even though that employer may not offer health insurance. As Republicans will tell you with regret, this is a major step down the road to universal healthcare and, in my opinion, a very good one.
As healthcare becomes more connected to being a citizen of United States, as opposed to being an employee of a particular corporation or a member of a particular union, Americans become freer. This is the freedom that Franklin Roosevelt talked about: the freedom from fear and want.
Trader Joes, I believe, gets this. Their part-time workers make a low enough income that they will qualify for free or nearly free healthcare under Obamacare, so with a $500 annual bonus they will easily be able to have their own health insurance. The only reason more employers wont be taking similar steps is that Trader Joes is one of the very, very few companies in America that offers health benefits to their part-time workers.
But with Obamacare, all part-time workers in America will have access to free or very inexpensive health insurance. And, thus, have the freedom to choose the employment or entrepreneurial adventure that best suits them.
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Trader Joe's did the math then-----then decided, rather than offering healthcare through an employee group plan, many of their part time employees will be able to purchase individual insurance via the health insurance exchanges for less than they could offer employee group insurance to their part time employees and-----and just to sweeten the pot and ensure that their employees health insurance needs are taken care of, Trader Joe's will be giving their part time employees a $500 stipend/year toward covering the cost (if any) of purchasing individual health insurance.
Because Obamacare lowers the cost of healthcare for virtually all Americans making less than $80,000 a year, and makes it almost free for most Americans making under $40,000 a year, it weakens the hold that both employers and unions have on employees.
The flipside of this is that it makes it easier for workers to go out and start businesses, or move to a place of employment where they feel more fulfilled, even though that employer may not offer health insurance. As Republicans will tell you with regret, this is a major step down the road to universal healthcare and, in my opinion, a very good one.
As healthcare becomes more connected to being a citizen of United States, as opposed to being an employee of a particular corporation or a member of a particular union, Americans become freer. This is the freedom that Franklin Roosevelt talked about: the freedom from fear and want.
Trader Joes, I believe, gets this. Their part-time workers make a low enough income that they will qualify for free or nearly free healthcare under Obamacare, so with a $500 annual bonus they will easily be able to have their own health insurance. The only reason more employers wont be taking similar steps is that Trader Joes is one of the very, very few companies in America that offers health benefits to their part-time workers.
But with Obamacare, all part-time workers in America will have access to free or very inexpensive health insurance. And, thus, have the freedom to choose the employment or entrepreneurial adventure that best suits them.
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