House Acts to Prevent Lost Wages Due to Obamacare

Press Release

The House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Congressman Kevin Cramer to prevent lost hours and wages due to the implementation of the 30-hour rule in Obamacare. The Save American Workers Act repeals the 30-hour definition of full time employment set in place by the Obamacare employer mandate and restores the traditional 40-hour definition.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the mandate requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide health insurance to all full-time employees. By changing the traditional definition of full-time employment from 40 hours a week to 30 hours a week, the ACA forces many employers to cut workers' hours below 30 in order to avoid the mandate and its penalties.

"This disruptive rule is putting 2.6 million workers at risk of losing hours and wages," said Cramer. "While the Obama Administration seems to celebrate less employment and reduced hours, our bill prevents workers from being hit with reduced take-home pay. It is surprising the President is threatening to veto this legislation even while he repeatedly delays this harmful mandate through non-enforcement."

Today marks the second time the House has advanced the Save American Workers Act. It first passed the House on April 3, 2014, with 230 Republicans and 18 Democrats voting in favor.

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