Industry groups are calling on Congress to return the definition of full time to a 40-hour workweek under ObamaCare.
The International Franchise Association (IFA) and the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and the More Time for Full Time initiative praised the House on Thursday for passing the Save American Workers Act.
The groups said the current 30-hour definition hurts both employers and employees.
{mosads}“Restoring the 40-hour workweek definition is a common-sense legislative fix to the Affordable Care Act that will put more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans and allow small businesses the flexibility they need to manage their workforce,” IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira said in a release, urging the Senate to take swift action.
Though President Obama has threatened to veto the bill if it gets passed by both chambers, Caldeira asked for him to be true to his word.
“We truly hope that he remains true to his statement he made the day after the 2014 mid-term election that he would be open and receptive to hearing ideas from Leader McConnell and Speaker Boehner on how to make responsible changes to the ACA to make it work better,” he said in a release.
“Well, Mr. President, we are now one-step closer to you having that opportunity.”
Thursday’s statements echo those of IFA board member and Auntie Anne’s franchisee Matthew Patinkin. In releasing the trade association’s economic outlook for 2015, Patinkin said the change to 30 hours workweeks has forced him to cut some of his employees’ hours.
“Rather than helping employees, this change makes life more difficult and more costly for lots of hardworking families,” he said.
NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner called the 30-hour workweek provision an unfortunate mistake in the law that he sees getting fixed in the near future.
“We think there’s a growing sentiment among Democrats, including among Democrats who voted for the law, that it is a highly imperfect piece of legislation that needs major revisions,” he said. “There’s no reason that it shouldn’t pass the Senate with enough bipartisan support to send a strong message to the President to sign the bill into law.”