Darden Restaurants to cut hours to save money on Obamacare

[Evil_Conservative]

I heard a snippet of this this morning, but haven't heard/seen anyone discussing this.

Darden (NYSE: DRI) told the Sentinel the tests would take place at “a select number” of its restaurants in four markets, including Central Florida.
The goal is to keep employees at 28 hours a week at the designated test restaurants.

Staffing changes are just one of the ways Darden said it is evaluating to help with costs associated with health care reform that will affect the company’s business.

More here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/morning_call/2012/10/darden-tests-cutting-worker-hours-to.html

[Chris_]

28 hours a week?  Damn.

Restaurants are notorious for cutting hours during the off season (post-Christmas through Memorial Day)... I remember getting my 40+ hours cut to 32 -- that was the benchmark at the time.  Generally, things picked up in the summer and through Labor Day until the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays and you could come to expect reduced schedules after New Year's Eve.  A lot of people took the opportunity to take their vacations then.  I will admit, I worked for Darden and never had less than a 40-hour week unless I asked for it.

[thundley4]

Is 28 hours the cutoff for mandatory insurance under ObamaCare?

[Evil_Conservative]

Is 28 hours the cutoff for mandatory insurance under ObamaCare?

I'm not 100% sure.  Sorry.

28 hours a week with $3.30/hr (or whatever servers make these days) + their tips means a whole lot of people in this country are going to have a really hard time making ends meet.

[Freeper]

Damn greedy restaurant owners. [/dummy mode]

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Weird.

It's almost as if policies based o static behavior models were doomed to fail.

Who could have forseen that businesses would alter their models to cope with adverse business conditions.

[Chris_]

Weird.

It's almost as if policies based on static behavior models were doomed to fail.

Who could have forseen that businesses would alter their models to cope with adverse business conditions.

I love it when you talk dirty.

[Freeper]

Who could have forseen that businesses would alter their models to cope with adverse business conditions.

There is a group of people who could predict that, it's called everybody!

 

[thundley4]

I'm not 100% sure.  Sorry.

28 hours a week with $3.30/hr (or whatever servers make these days) + their tips means a whole lot of people in this country are going to have a really hard time making ends meet.

But it opens up more part time jobs, so fewer people will be listed as being unemployed.   This helps lower the unemployment numbers, so it is all good. /end Obamabot spiel.

[IassaFTots]

Is 28 hours the cutoff for mandatory insurance under ObamaCare?

Currently the FLSA does not determine hours per week to qualify full time vs part time.  And most companies have established 30 hours as the benchmark to qualify as full time.  Most benefits are offered to full time employees only.  (not sure essabout the unions, as I am fortunate to work in a right to work state)  So, yes and no, basically.

[Karin]

It's almost as if policies based on static behavior models were doomed to fail.

This is worth another thread.  I hear the talk radio guys telling me that the CBO is required BY LAW to disregard any considerations for changes in behavior, in reaction to policy or law.  Why is this?  How did it come to be?  How did this make sense to anyone?  They never elaborate.