Sorry: Businesses cannot avoid Obamacare by switching to part-time staff

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

The administration has popped the bubble of hope some small business had that switching to part-time staff would let them escape the high costs of Obamacare.

 

The Small Business Administration on Thursday created a website to explain to businesses that the government will simply tally up the number of part-time employees firms have to determine if enough hours have been worked to essentially create a "full-time equivalent."

 

Some smaller businesses had thought that if they could get under the 50 full-time employee cap that activates Obamacare by cutting full-time workers and hiring more part-time workers they would escape having to provide costly health care insurance — or pay a federal fine.

 

Several business organizations have been warning smaller firms of the provision in Obamacare, but many were confused and waiting for the administration to finally explain the so-called employer mandate calculation.