ObamaCare makes it harder for the poor to find work
by Jonathan Ingram As we reported yesterday, ObamaCare is going to bust Illinois’ budget and hurt the most vulnerable among us. But did you know it’s also going to drastically raise the costs of hiring new workers? ObamaCare requires most employer-sponsored insurance coverage to provide a minimum level of benefits, which ultimately drives the cost of labor...
by Jonathan Ingram
As we reported yesterday, ObamaCare is going to bust Illinois’ budget and hurt the most vulnerable among us. But did you know it’s also going to drastically raise the costs of hiring new workers?
ObamaCare requires most employer-sponsored insurance coverage to provide a minimum level of benefits, which ultimately drives the cost of labor up. A new report from the Heritage Foundation finds that the minimum cost to hire a full-time employee in Illinois will be nearly $30,000 for workers with family coverage.
If you’re looking to hire new workers, it’s going to cost you more to do that in Illinois than in almost any other state. Our businesses that relocate to neighboring states like Missouri, Indiana, or Wisconsin would save thousands of dollars for each worker.
Minimum Cost of Hiring a Full-Time Worker with Family Coverage
Source: Heritage Foundation
Those hurt most by this will be the poor. Higher labor costs ultimately translates into fewer jobs, particularly for unskilled labor. Even if businesses stay in Illinois, they’re likely to cut back on full-time employees and simply hire more part-time employees to avoid paying the higher health insurance premiums.
To make matters worse, Illinois’ hostile business climate already drives job-creators away. While the nation as a whole has seen the unemployment rate decline over the past year, Illinois has watched it rise. Yesterday, we reported that Illinois’ unemployment rate hit 10%. That’s up from 8.6% only six months ago.
It’s clear that Illinois can’t afford ObamaCare. It’s time we repeal it and replace it with something that works.