Joyce Announces Support for the Save American Workers Act

Press Release

Today, U.S. Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) announced his support for H.R. 2575, the Save American Workers Act, which would repeal the Affordable Care Act's 30-hour definition of full-time employment, and replace it with a traditional 40-hour work week. The current 30-hour definition is leading hourly workers to see a reduction in the number of hours they are allowed to work and, as a result, their income is being lowered. The House Ways and Means Committee will begin marking up H.R. 2575 today. Joyce stated:

"The health care law is forcing millions of American workers to work reduced hours and live off of smaller paychecks. It's not fair that an hourly worker going from 39 to 29 hours will lose a full week's paycheck over the course of a month, and this bill will protect workers from losing hard-earned money."

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Affordable Care Act is projected to reduce the number of full-time workers by roughly 2.3 million people through 2021.

Examples of Ohio-based businesses and institutions cutting back hours include but are not limited to:

- Lakeland Community College limiting course loads for adjunct faculty.
- Youngstown City Schools cutting part-time and substitute hours to 25 per week.
- The City of Akron limiting part-time workers to fewer than 30 hours per week.
- Portage County cutting hours for sheriff's deputies to fewer than 30 per week.
- Poelking Bowling Center limiting hiring to part-time.
- White Castle limiting all new hires to part-time work only.
- Scrambler Marie's Restaurants cutting some workers' hours to less than 30 per week.

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