Posted on 10/07/2014 8:00:11 AM PDT by Rusty0604
Under the title (only-a-PR-person-could-make-up) "Providing Quality Benefits for Our Associates," Walmart - who employs 1.3 million people in America, has changed its eligibility standards for healthcare benefits. "Like every company," they explain "Walmart faces rising healthcare costs," and so are ending benefits for associates who work less than 30 hours a week.
Full Walmart statement
In the U.S., the 1.3 million people who work at our stores, clubs and distribution centers are vital to a great experience for the 140 million customers shopping with us each week. We’re in business because our associates bring us their unique skills and talents – and so we do our absolute best to offer all the benefits that come with a great job, particularly affordable health insurance.
Anyone who has been following the news for the last several years knows that health care is a major topic of debate. From doctors’ visits and prescriptions to insurance premiums, health care costs have increased for all of us – individuals and the companies that insure them – each year. Knowing this, Walmart continues to work with health care providers and professionals, using our size and influence to negotiate the best rates and options for our associates.
Like every company, Walmart continues to face rising health care costs. This year, the expenses were significant and led us to make some tough decisions as we begin our annual enrollment. As a result, today we announced that our associates will see an increase in premiums for 2015. For example, our most popular and lowest cost associate-only plan will increase by $3.50 to $21.90 per pay period – still half the average premium other retail employees pay.
We’re also changing eligibility for some part-time associates. We will continue to provide affordable health care to all eligible associates, including part-time, who work more than 30 hours. However, similar to other retailers like Target, Home Depot, Walgreens and Trader Joe’s, we will no longer be providing health benefits to part-time associates who work less than 30 hours. This will impact about 2% of our total U.S. workforce. We will be working with a specialist, HealthCompare, to personally guide our associates through the process of finding the right, affordable health care.
We are proud of the health care plans we offer, which are among the best in the retail industry, as well as the new benefits we’ve introduced over the past two years for our associates. This includes a vision plan that launched this year and our innovative Centers of Excellence program that began in 2013 that covers select spine and heart procedures at no cost to our associates. We expanded Centers of Excellence this year to include knee and hip replacement surgeries and, for 2015, we’re excited to be adding breast, lung and colorectal cancer care at the Mayo Clinic.
We don’t make these decisions lightly, and the fact remains that our plans exceed those of our peers in the retail industry. Our premiums remain well below the industry average compiled by expert Aon Hewitt. We also continue to pay the majority of health care costs for associates covered under our medical plans. For example, on average we cover more than 60% of our associates’ total health care costs and more than 75% of their premium costs. In contrast, the retail industry pays, on average, about 54% of total health care costs and 68% of employee premiums.
All of our eligible associates – both full and part-time – will continue to benefit from our health care options that include no lifetime maximum, preventative care covered at 100%, and $250 up to $1,000 to help pay for medical expenses. We believe these options are among the best in the retail industry.
As our associates continue to work hard for our customers, we will continue working hard to keep their benefits as affordable as possible, enhance the quality of health care they receive and make the cost more transparent, which will benefit everyone.
We suspect the refrain from the American taxpayer will go something like "thanks Obamacare, you're welcome Walmart."
You are absolutely, 100% correct. It's coming!
I think I missed something here.
Wal-Mart chose to eliminate health coverage for those who work under 30 hours a week. But they had been providing such coverage?
Couldn’t they still provide coverage for the part-timers if they chose to do so?
I assume it was very costly to do so, because they are gong to take a public relations hit with this news.
Or maybe not, since liberals hate Wal-Mart anyway, for various reasons.
And Target, Home Depot, Walgreens and Trader Joe’s,and countless other corporations, but hey Walmart is an easy target just like McDonald's. I'm pretty sure we are going to see a lot more companies following as obummercare drives up costs across the board.
I thought they’d already done that. No one but management has worked more than 30 hours for years.
I remember all the “made in America” signs in Walmart.
$3.50 to $21.90 per pay period... a 625% increase.
That Wal-Mart website allows you to search for products Made in America.
Obama&Co caused the 30 hour work week you get what you vote for.
And six years later the GOP still does not have a plan of its own that goes beyond the Sean Hannity talking points.
....”It’s not Obama’s fault that Walmart is run by a bunch of heartless greedy bastards!”....
Think again...Wal-Mart pays far better then most retail establishments....and they are quick to promote those who do the work.
Name one company that doesn’t look at it’s profit lines first and foremost...and further that when profits are down the employees are the first to go and or their benefits.
I work in a large retail box store now as a part-time employee and they also cut part-time benefits. That’s what they are all doing now...and YES it’s because of the costs of Insuring them.....or have you not seen the great increases all are paying now?
“....Obama&Co caused the 30 hour work week....”
That’s exactly right...I saw all employees where I work go to part-time...and all salaried were put on hourly rates.....this because of Obama.
The Unions are demonizing Any and all big outfits that haven’t bent to joining them. ...and the Gov. is helping because the Unions and Gov. are sleeping together.
Business is business and when the Gov. under Obama determine they’re going to affect those businesses and ‘change’ their operating costs then ‘expect’ it will never be favorable to the employee nor the consumer .....ever!
...”Pretty soon the FULL TIME employees will have no other choice”....
I think we’ve all forgotten that “benefits” with any company are in “addition” to wages. A ‘perk’ not a requirement for hire.
Companies can choose not to give benefits at all...at any time. We’ve grown too comfortable in believing that we are “owed” certain “perks” ....we’re not....those are “given” by companies not required.
My company has an internal employee app that lets you see your “real” salary.
Along with salary, we also recieve matching 401k payments, bonuses, employer contributions to health insurance, sick leave, Personal Time Off, vacation, and more. And while I don’t see it, they compnay has to pay into unemployment insurance and more.
In addition to my take home - my employee pays a heckuva whole lot more to keep me here.
And I’m very grateful. Been at this job for 20 years. Plan on retiring here.
Come on now - I was quoting an LIV Obama supporter.
You know that they are not going to let that 30 hour requirement stand forever, I am surprised that it has lasted this long. Next up 25, then 20 and on down to 15 or 10.
Businesses are good at using part time rules to screw employees. Work 80 hours biweekly? We are kicking you back to 79 hours. (evil laugh here)
Yeah, figuring for them to get back into power.
In a way, Wal-Mart was the 500 lb retail gorilla that drove our industrial base overseas. All other companies had to follow in their wake. The sad part is that Sam Walton used to bend over backwards to work with American suppliers to be able to sell their items at Wal-Mart. That went up in a puff of smoke when he passed away.
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