Hillary Clinton Suggests ACA Definition of Full-Time Employee May Need to Be Reformed

Federal Health Care Reform, Member-Driven Practice Initiatives

This week, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton suggested she is not in favor of the Affordable Care Act's 30-hour definition for full-time employees.  According to Secretary Clinton, the ACA has "some unfortunate incentives that discourage full-time employment."  She went on to say "we've got to change that," although she did not say how she would amend the law, mentioning rather that she wants to "look at all the employment rules."  Under the ACA, the definition of full-time employee is set at 30 hours per week, instead of the 40-hour standard under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  "I really worry about it because there is a trend to try and move more and more people into part-time work," Clinton said.  While bipartisan bills (S. 30 and H.R. 30) have been introduced to change the definition to 40 hours, it is unlikely Congress will move the bills before 2017.