Maybe you’ve read that Wal-Mart announced recently that it is ending health coverage for those of their workers who are working 30 hours or less per week. The plan, effective January 1st affects 2% of Wal-Mart’s 1.4 million workforce. They’re not alone, Target and Home Depot made similar announcements a few months ago. The Affordable Care Act mandates companies to provide health care for those working over 30 hours. Those who work less than 30 hours can it seems qualify for federal premium subsidies, or if their state allows it, enroll in Medicaid, a practice which leads critics to say that employers are dumping their employees on the government. There are two ironies at work here. The first is minor, the announcement follows another a few days before about Wal-Mart opening health clinics in some of its store also around the first of the year. The other goes deeper, it reflects the fact that corporations which have been so vocal against the Affordable Care Act, have become so adept at using it, and at doing the very thing they claim was wrong with it—that is to swell those being helped by government. One could say the Evil Empire has multiplied, but I doubt that would be helpful. Instead one could just recognize that Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot et al. are perfect examples of a corporate culture gone awry, one which places its own interests above those of the nation.
Comments
One response to “Corporate Culture Gone Awry”
Thanks for calling attention to this instance of corporate greed and lack of
compassion. People working 30 hours a week are barely getting by as it
is, and many may be working two jobs to make ends meet, and still not
have decent health care. Shame on the corporations who allow this for
their workers.