WASHINGTON — One day after the Obama administration delayed the
Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate until 2015, critics and
supporters of the legislation were hotly debating the cost and effects
of the surprise move, while business owners breathed a sigh of relief.
The law required companies with more than 50 full-time employees to provide health coverage in 2014 or face fines of $2,000 per worker. By giving business owners like Zach Davis of Santa Cruz, Calif., an extra year to ponder their next moves, employers may be more comfortable that they’re making an informed decision rather than taking a chance on legislation that is still unfolding more than three years after its passage.
The law required companies with more than 50 full-time employees to provide health coverage in 2014 or face fines of $2,000 per worker. By giving business owners like Zach Davis of Santa Cruz, Calif., an extra year to ponder their next moves, employers may be more comfortable that they’re making an informed decision rather than taking a chance on legislation that is still unfolding more than three years after its passage.