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Apr25
Wal-Mart: Health Insurance For Part-Timers?
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced this past week they will begin offering health insurance to more part-time employees because of relaxed eligibility requirements.  I'm sure you are aware this has been an ongoing debate for some time now.  Should the largest retailer in the world give health insurance to hundreds of thousands of part-time workers?  Next month, when this new change takes place 150,000 part-time Wal-Mart employees will be eligible for coverage if they desire.

This announcement was made by Susan Chambers, a vice president, at a meeting of business and health care executives.  Some of the details outlined by Chambers:

  • decrease from two year to one year of mandatory employment before eligibility kicks in.  That will also extend to their children.
  • $23 per month for the expected most popular plan, and $15 a month more for the children of the workers.
  Chris Kofinis, a spokesperson for wakeupwalmart.com, stated "the coverage also calls for a deductible that requires the worker to pick up the first $1,000 in medical expenses, and the deductible rises to a maximum of $3,000 for families."

While I have never worked for Wal-Mart I understand the importance of health insurance, even for part-time workers.  Regardless of the amount of hours a Wal-Mart employee works if Wal-Mart and other retailers can find it within their deep pockets to pick up part of the health cost they would be taking a step in the right direction in my opinion.  A little less stock holder profit to take care of the workers who create that profit?  Is that a crazy Utopian idea?

What are your thoughts on this issue?

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