Moving in the Right Direction

ObamaCare continues to harm American families through canceled plans, lower wages, and skyrocketing costs. This week the House will vote on a bill to provide relief from one of the law’s most onerous provisions. The Save American Workers Act (H.R. 2575) will repeal ObamaCare’s 30-hour definition of “full-time” employment and restore the traditional 40-hour work week.

The so-called “30-hour rule” is of growing concern to schools and colleges trying to provide students a quality education. Through news articles, hearing testimony, and feedback from education stakeholders, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce continues to learn about ObamaCare’s consequences for the nation’s education system:

We project the cost for us to comply with these accessibility and affordability requirements to be $1.2M, in 2013 dollars, worth another 16 teaching positions – Dr. Mark Benigni, Superintendent of Schools, Meriden Public Schools, Meriden, CT

We have discovered that nearly 200 of our non-tenure track faculty could be affected by the 30 hour rule of the Affordable Care Act…Given the number of part-time faculty who may be affected, that would result in nearly $1 million of increased employee benefit costs to my College alone. – Dr. Thomas P. Jandris, Senior Vice President & Dean of Graduate Programs, Concordia University Chicago

As a client said, “The ACA is forcing us, typically well-meaning employers, to make tough decisions that have negative consequences for our faculty and our students, and that can’t be what was intended.” – Mr. Gregory L. Needles, Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

A recent analysis revealed that over 100 school districts across the country, including dozens in Indiana alone, have either cut worker hours or outsourced jobs…School districts have either cut the hours or outsourced the responsibilities of support staff like teachers’ aides, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers to limit their financial liability under the 30-hour rule. – Dr. Lanhee J. Chen, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Like many community colleges our funding does not allow us to absorb large unfunded mandates such as any employee who exceeds 30 hours being offered health insurance. The impact to us would be between $10-$12 million. – Mr. Thomas J. Snyder, President, Ivy Tech Community College

The University of Akron, in Ohio, has cut back the hours of 400 part-time faculty members who were teaching more than 29 hours a week, said Eileen Korey, a spokeswoman for the school. – New York Times, Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts to Bypass Insurance Law

The Vigo County School Corporation, a 15,500–student district in Indiana, shaved the hours of about 40 percent of its 1,400 support–staff employees. – Education Week, Health-Care Law Poses Challenges for Districts

Cash–strapped community colleges in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Howard and Prince George’s counties, among other places, have preemptively limited adjuncts’ hours. – The Baltimore Sun, Community colleges cut adjunct hours to avoid Obamacare

The number of courses adjunct professors at the Community College System of New Hampshire can teach will be limited next semester, capping potential earnings at about $10,000 for some who use the jobs as their main source of income. – Concord Monitor, Adjunct professors protest limit on work related to health care law

Bowling Green said about 20 adjunct faculty members lost hours, and the university had to hire more part–timers to pick up the load. – Cleveland Plain Dealer, Obamacare's part-timer consequence: Limited work hours at colleges, municipalities

“We have no choice but to cut hours... Students struggle enough having one substitute teacher, but then now we’re going to have to possibly split the substitute time between two substitute teachers.” [Thomas Dudley, Vice Chairman, Maury County School Board] – WSMV–TV (Tennessee), Affordable Care Act could affect teachers' hours in the classroom

Austin Community College plans to reduce hours for some adjunct faculty members... Extending health benefits to all is ‘not a sustainable option.’ [Alexis Patterson, Spokeswoman, Austin Community College] – McClatchy Tribune, ACC to trim some faculty members' hours to avoid health benefits

“Now I have 29 hours that I’m capped out at, that I cannot go above and beyond... I’m trying to stay off of Medicaid and food stamps, things like that, but this makes it utterly impossible.” [Mindy Mayhew, Granite School District employee]. – KUTV (Utah), Granite School District Caps Part-Time Hours, Cites Affordable Care Act

“Who is really being punished is the students. We might have one sub that is most qualified or fit for a certain subject, but may not be called because they have too many hours on the books. The travesty is we are making a decision not to put the best teacher in front of the class.”  [Christopher Prill, Assistant Superintendent, Dover Union Free School District] – Hudson Valley Reporter, Obamacare Impacting how Hudson Valley Schools Deal with Substitute Teachers

We are forced to restrict students working hours to comply with the ACA limit before insurance must be offered.  This aspect of the ACA has done nothing but make matters worse in enhancing the financial burden on both students and parents. – Kathryn, Florida, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative

In February, I was asked to teach a new class… My department chair said I had to give one up in order to accept the new class… When I informed the department lead of the English chair's decision, she said, "it's all about healthcare.  If they let you teach the class, they have to offer you healthcare under the Affordable Care Act.” – Melinda, Ohio, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative

We were faced with cutting paraprofessional hours to less than 30 per week, on average. I don’t think the intent of the law was to have the lowest income workers now working fewer hours per week, and still without health care. – Kimberley, Michigan, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative

I am an adjunct at a small private Christian liberal-arts university.  I received word today that my teaching load for the rest of the school year will be cut by four credits – a difference of thousands of dollars in my paycheck. – Helienna, Minnesota, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative

“Many of our affiliate faculty have been disappointed to find their course loads restricted... This increases hiring and operational costs and... could impact quality of education as well.” – Mellani, Colorado, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative

“I am currently adjunct faculty at a community college and have been since 2008… The courses I teach total 10 credits per semester... I have been informed that I cannot carry that load because it puts me over the hours and makes me full–time.” – Cathy, Arizona, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative

We are now having to restrict their [part-time employees’] hours more to comply with [the 30-hour rule] and we end up hiring more [part-] time workers to get the work done. This impacts our ability to properly serve students. – Kate, California, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #TellYourStory Initiative  

The 30-hour rule threatens the strength and success of the country’s education system by limiting key services for students and forcing talented teachers and professors out of the classroom. House Republicans will vote to repeal the 30-hour rule and help protect schools, students, and educators.

Click here to read more about ObamaCare's impact on schools or to share your story.  

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