Should part timers be counted as full timers?
In the cuckoo land that is our White House, the answer is yes - at least when it comes to counting employees when figuring penalties that businesses will pay if they don't insure their workers under Obamacare.
Erica Werner in the Washington Examiner:
The bill originally passed by the Senate only penalized businesses for full-time workers who weren't covered. The Senate bill is being used as the basis for a final package President Barack Obama wants Congress to pass in the next few weeks.The inclusion of part-time workers is part of a package of final changes that is nearing completion, according to the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it's not been made public.
Democrats feared that businesses would avoid penalties by hiring more part-time workers. But business groups oppose the change as overly burdensome.
To sum up: Obamacare will penalize businesses for not insuring part time workers who, in most instances, aren't insured anyway. And the reason for the extra penalties is that they are paranoid.
Got it.
Hat Tip: Ed Lasky