[Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries

[Ann Perrigo]

The gentleman who has been overseeing our insurance gave me some very clear
information about the Affordable Care Act--except for this one question!
 He told me he would let me know when a clear guideline was established
(about the 30 hour a week issue) and I haven't heard from him yet.  Maybe
I'll shoot him another message today!!

Ann @ Allegan


On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 8:43 AM, Andrea Estelle
<aestelle at otsegolibrary.org>wrote:

> Hi Again Everyone -
> I agree with Donna completely. I would just like to be able to plan ahead
> and would love it if the MLA or ALA could help small and medium libraries
> understand what it means for our staffing.
>
> Just from yesterday's replies I got a wide range of conflicting
> responses...
>
> I have been told:
> It doesn't apply to groups of less than 50
> It does apply to groups of less than 50 if you are offering some staff
> insurance then you need to offer it to all staff working more than 30 hours
> or you will be fined $3000-$5000 for every person on staff
> Part-time Hours don't need to be cut at all
> Part-time Hours need to be cut now
> Part-time Hours don't need to be cut until January 2014
>
> The attorneys we have asked tell us to call the insurance companies. Our
> insurance company said that nobody is an expert on this topic and it is
> very unclear as to how this will work out for employers and give other such
> vague responses. So when Donna says this topic is time-consuming and
> frustrating I agree completely. That is why I posted hoping someone out
> there had a clear answer with a valid source.
> Thanks,
> Andrea
>
> Andrea Estelle
> Library Director
> "Brighten The Corner Where You Are"
>
>
>
>         401 Dix Street, Otsego, MI 49078
>                     (269) 694-9690
>            http://www.otsegolibrary.org/
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Donna Alward [mailto:dalward at hlpl.lib.mi.us]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 10:18 PM
> To: Andrea Estelle
> Cc: 'MichLibList Serve'
> Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries
>
> Brings to mind when what became PA152 was progressing through the Michigan
> legislature...
>
> I was given various opinions as to whether libraries were included or
> intended to be included in what was to become a limit on expenditures for
> medical health care benefits. Seeking a definitive answer was time
> consuming and frustrating.
>
> Wonder if the Michigan Library Association (even though Obamacare is a
> federal law) might, in its role as an an advocate for its members, inquire
> and work with the American Library Association to get some concrete
> answers. If like PA152, details and procedures are not exactly clear,
> action by both the state and national organizations may bring results in a
> more timely way, which would allow individual libraries time to plan.
>
> Donna J. Alward, Library Director
> Houghton Lake Public Library
> 4431 W. Houghton Lake Dr.
> Houghton Lake, MI 48629
> Phone: 989.366.9230
> Fax: 989.366.0063
> URL: www.hlpl.org
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Andrea Estelle <aestelle at otsegolibrary.org>
> To: 'MichLibList Serve' <michlib-l at mail.mcls.org>
> Sent: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:01:06 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: [Michlib-l] Obamacare and Small Libraries
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Does anyone have a clear, valid source that explains how the upcoming
> rules for Obamacare relate to a small library? We have 13 staff and 2 are
> full time with insurance.
>
> My question in regards to it is: Do the staff working over 30 hours need
> to be working less than 30 hours so that we don't get fined for not
> offering them insurance? And if so, when does the reduced hours take
> effect: now or in 2014?
>
> I have gotten a lot of conflicting feedback on this topic and insurance
> companies are calling it a "grey area" so I wondered if there is any source
> out there with a clear explanation.
>
>
> Thank you for your help!
>
> Andrea
>
>
>
> Andrea Estelle
>
> Library Director
>
> "Brighten The Corner Where You Are"
>
>
>
>
>
>  <http://www.otsegolibrary.org/> Home
>
>  401 Dix Street, Otsego, MI 49078
>
>  (269) 694-9690
>
>  http://www.otsegolibrary.org/
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>



-- 
Ann Perrigo, Director
Allegan District Library
331 Hubbard Street
Allegan, MI 49010                               269 673-4625

aperrigo at alleganlibrary.org

<aperrigo at alleganlibrary.org>

Good times or bad--your library is here for you!
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