The permanence of Obamacare will significantly increase the number of entry-level, part-time jobs. All unemployed youth who seek employment may soon have a plethora of open job choices.
Employers of 50 or more will be financially motivated to move all entry-level jobs to less than 30-hour, part-time positions that won't require expensive employer health insurance coverage.
Part-time employees get no medical insurance, paid vacations or sick pay and are not offered 401k or pension plans. Converting to part-time workers could save employers thousands in labor costs. Obamacare will be the catalyst and the tipping point initiating this conversion to part-time employees.
The exorbitant cost for full-time employee medical insurance far exceeds the federal penalty when insurance isn't provided. So great are the savings, some remaining full-time employees are likely to lose their company-provided insurance and forced into Medicaid as well.
In fact, restaurant chains already have publicized the change to part-time workers. Note that the law only affects companies with more than 50 full-time employees. Food chains, retailers, and gas stations will be among employers converting to part-time employees.
Welfare nearly matches entry-level, part-time employment salaries. The "why work" question may likely create a shortage, and high turnover, of part-time employees.
I expect a general decline of services in restaurants, etc. The more experienced workers will seek out full-time employment.
WALLACE J. HUGHES
Charlton