Orrin Hatch: “I rise today to talk about an epidemic in the American workforce that has wreaked havoc on our labor markets and caused…”

“I rise today to talk about an epidemic in the American workforce that has wreaked havoc on our labor markets and caused undue hardship for millions of our Nation's workers. I am talking, of course, about the eradication of the 40-hour workweek wrought by the so-called ``Affordable Care Act.'' As a result of this poorly named law, businesses around the country are instituting hiring freezes, downsizing their workforces or reducing worker hours. The President's health law requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees to offer health coverage of a minimum value or pay a penalty. One of the unintended but not unforeseen consequences of the law is that a number of employers are opting to unilaterally limit the number of full-time employees in order to escape this burdensome mandate. The Affordable Care Act defines ``full-time employees'' as those working at least 30 hours a week. As a result of this odd definition, not every employer seeking to avoid paying penalties is laying off workers. Instead, an increasing number of businesses have opted to simply cap workers' hours. This is happening everywhere. For example, a recent Reuters survey of 52 Walmart stores found that half of the stores were only hiring temporary workers--something the stores typically only do during the holiday shopping season.…”