# No more insurance for part time team members!



## BullseyeBabe (Jan 21, 2014)

No more insurance for part time team members! Are you freaking kidding me? I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach! Maybe this will provide the incentive I need to go find something better. I've been here to many years and now this. Thanks Spot! You SUCK!!!!!!


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## Target Annie (Jan 21, 2014)

BullseyeBabe said:


> No more insurance for part time team members! Are yoy freaking kidding me? I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach! Maybe this will provide the incentive I need to go find something better. I've been here to many years and now this. Thanks Spot! You SUCK!!!!!!



Just heard the news.
I only work for the benefits.
I am sick to my stomach.


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## RednTacky (Jan 21, 2014)

Hold on, what do you mean part-time? Anyone who is hourly? Or anyone who works below 30 hours a week?


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## nolongerspecial (Jan 21, 2014)

Anyone below 32 hrs a week on average.


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## Backroomkeycarrier (Jan 21, 2014)

I think Target defines part time as less than 30 hours average per week.


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## nolongerspecial (Jan 21, 2014)

My hr said 32 when she made the announcements.  But perhaps she was misinformed - that's pretty typical Target.


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## lowlypeon (Jan 21, 2014)

It's working below 31.5 hours a week on average


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## lowlypeon (Jan 21, 2014)

On the bright side, this will flood the healthcare market with peopke needing insurance, thus bringing prices down on healthcare.gov (or mnsure if you live in Minnesota)


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## Target Annie (Jan 21, 2014)

lowlypeon said:


> On the bright side, this will flood the healthcare market with peopke needing insurance, thus bringing prices down on healthcare.gov (or mnsure if you live in Minnesota)



Not if we need assistance because of our low wages.
they need people to be actually paying in money for it to work.


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 21, 2014)

You've got to be fucking kidding me. Fuck this piece of shit company.


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## RednTacky (Jan 21, 2014)

I wasn't aware you could still receive benefits under 30.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 21, 2014)

WHAT?! I'm fucked.

Wait...I cannot panic yet...as of the beginning of December my average was at 31.58. There's a small chance I could be okay....dear, God....


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## commiecorvus (Jan 21, 2014)

It depends on how much you make a year what kind of subsidy from the government you might get.

Here's a calculator that might help.

http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 21, 2014)

Well, it looks like for me I could possibly fall into the Medicaid coverage zone in my state. That would help me get coverage, but it sucks to have to rely on government subsidies when I have always paid for my own health insurance in the past.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 21, 2014)

Think of it as the beginning of Universal Coverage rather than depending on the government.
Now all we have to do is make sure the Republicans don't get back into power so they can repeal it.


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## daninnj (Jan 21, 2014)

I can predict three things that will likely happen due to this: Leadership being directed to keep hours for all TMs under 30 at all times, mass quitting unlike the company has ever seen before (at least 10% of the workforce), and a huge ramp up of union activity. I believe they're all plausible; this is going be an interesting year for the company.


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 21, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> Think of it as the beginning of Universal Coverage rather than depending on the government.
> Now all we have to do is make sure the Republicans don't get back into power so they can repeal it.



We've got a Republican governor and a Republican legislature in my state which has continuously been hammering the poor people (hey that's me!) in our state the past few years. Somehow they have the system set-up that I am considered above the poverty level when I made less than 15k last year.

I believe in Universal Healthcare, but the problem is the Affordable Care Act was hacked to pieces by Congress so it's only a shell of it's original vision and what it could be.



daninnj said:


> I can predict three things that will likely happen due to this: Leadership being directed to keep hours for all TMs under 30 at all times, mass quitting unlike the company has ever seen before (at least 10% of the workforce), and a huge ramp up of union activity. I believe they're all plausible; this is going be an interesting year for the company.



I can see the first two happening (the second will just lead to less capable people being hired at lower wages), but I don't think we will still a ramp up in union activity. So many states have rigged the laws against unions and the few unions that are left are either so weak or so corrupt that it's hard to see them being effective anymore. Which is really sad to say considering my Grandfather was a UAW member for 30 years and made an upper middle class living for himself working for GM.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 21, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> It depends on how much you make a year what kind of subsidy from the government you might get.
> 
> Here's a calculator that might help.
> 
> http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/



Thank you for this. The "good" news is that it looks like I will be eligible for Medicaid. The bad news is that likely means I will need to find new doctors. And losing my psychiatrist could be disastrous.

But hell, as long as they found money for those corporate bonuses, I guess it's worth the sacrifice!


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## daninnj (Jan 21, 2014)

The Dude Abides said:


> I can see the first two happening (the second will just lead to less capable people being hired at lower wages), but I don't think we will still a ramp up in union activity. So many states have rigged the laws against unions and the few unions that are left are either so weak or so corrupt that it's hard to see them being effective anymore. Which is really sad to say considering my Grandfather was a UAW member for 30 years and made an upper middle class living for himself working for GM.



Yeah that's true although I meant there will probably be more attention to Target by the unions. Maybe more cards being distributed in stores, fliers, etc. Not necessary another Valley Stream-type of deal.


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## buliSBI (Jan 21, 2014)

Thats sh!t.  Sorry guys.


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## konk (Jan 21, 2014)

I'm so close, but there's no way I can keep working this semester as much as I did last semester. I have to work 8-10 hours a week for school.


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## dnu318 (Jan 21, 2014)

Look for hour cuts to make sure as many people as physically possible fall below 32 hours too.


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## Rarejem (Jan 21, 2014)

The day I fall below 32 hours (which I continually fight for!) is the day I will be giving my 2 weeks notice. Health insurance is the only reason that I am working at Target.  I give them 100% every moment that I am on the clock (ok - maybe there have been a few times over the last decade and a half that were not quite 100%) and all I ask is to give me at least 32 hours/week.  I've been at 40 average many years, but not recently and it seems that if I'm not diligent in watching, they'll give my hours to Suzy High School because they don't have to pay her as much.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 21, 2014)

I just talked to my hr people. The cut off is 31.5. I had 31.79. I am golden. And I am to let her know if I'm ever scheduled under 32 for a week.


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## mr teaspoon (Jan 21, 2014)

My Target didn't know exactly what the hourly cutoff would be, I'll take your guys word that it's 32.

Not sure what this means for me as I'm not really close to 1,000 hours yet. I'm a pharmacy tech and, other than a few weeks over the holidays where I got as low as 20 hours per week, I think I average around 30-35. The benefits are really important to me - for the amount of hours I'm putting in versus what my paycheck is, the last straw really would be if they try to have me at 25 hours a week. At that point I could wait tables 3 days a week for better pay.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 21, 2014)

dnu318 said:


> Look for hour cuts to make sure as many people as physically possible fall below 32 hours too.



I can't believe any HR person would sit there and purposely cut peoples hours to just under the 32 hour mark so they would lose their insurance.
Or Spot would be stupid enough to send out instructions to do such a thing, for that matter.

What will happen is they will cut the hours to each store by just enough and make the recommendation that a fair solution would be to spread the pain around.
Rather than cut one department, just shave a little off everybody.
That sounds fair doesn't it?


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## AllThingsTarget101 (Jan 21, 2014)

I was already contemplating going without Targets insurance this year but this just makes my decision final. Let's hope this broke student doesn't need anything serious done this next year... :'(


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 21, 2014)

Bad, spot, bad!


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## Backroomkeycarrier (Jan 21, 2014)

This isn't just spot, other companies had announced the same thing a while back. In the end you will probrably will be better since you will be eligible for medicaid or subsidies. It could be that you will have better coverage for less that what spot was offering.


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## BackroomTM (Jan 21, 2014)

No subsidies in my state/county and I missed the cut off by .8 hrs. I did the math. I needed 44 more hours in the year, which equals to 6.5 minutes a day extra. FML!


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## doxie71 (Jan 21, 2014)

Heard this today. STL and ETL HR called everyone in in big groups to go over this today. So glad I have insurance elsewhere.


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## daninnj (Jan 21, 2014)

I have a feeling these close calls with hours (whether you still have coverage or you don't) are not really coincidental.


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## BackroomTM (Jan 21, 2014)

I agree it just sucks to think of all those time i was being nice to other team members by giving them some of my days so they could pay there bills.


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## RhettB (Jan 21, 2014)

As much as I want to put all the blame on Target, some has to go to the Obama administration and its ACA.  Analysts predicted that companies would do this to their employees.  Why offer insurance when its the law to obtain it yourself if its not there at the employer level.  That alone is a green light for employers to not offer insurance.  Wait and see what is still there for the ones who can keep their insurance.   Higher premiums and less coverage like every year.  

The $$ they are giving to TMs that lose their insurance is not going to help much.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 21, 2014)

RhettB said:


> As much as I want to put all the blame on Target, some has to go to the Obama administration and its ACA.  Analysts predicted that companies would do this to their employees.  Why offer insurance when its the law to obtain it yourself if its not there at the employer level.  That alone is a green light for employers to not offer insurance.  Wait and see what is still there for the ones who can keep their insurance.   Higher premiums and less coverage like every year.
> 
> The $$ they are giving to TMs that lose their insurance is not going to help much.



So my question is, if the companies start acting like smegheads why do we blame the law?

At what point are the people in charge of these companies going to say, "hey, you know all that BS we spout about giving back to the community? Well, we're going to do that by giving everybody who works for us decent health insurance. Here's a little sign about that we can put in the case by Guest Services."


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## doxie71 (Jan 21, 2014)

Bananas Foster said:


> If you look up info on Obama's ACA, it defines Full Time as anyone who works 30 or more hours per week.  How can Target define Full Time as 32 hours when the GOVERNMENT says it is 30??  I am going to be questioning someone at Target about this!


STL told us today that 31.5 is what Target & the government agreed upon for full time designation.


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## RhettB (Jan 21, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> RhettB said:
> 
> 
> > As much as I want to put all the blame on Target, some has to go to the Obama administration and its ACA.  Analysts predicted that companies would do this to their employees.  Why offer insurance when its the law to obtain it yourself if its not there at the employer level.  That alone is a green light for employers to not offer insurance.  Wait and see what is still there for the ones who can keep their insurance.   Higher premiums and less coverage like every year.
> ...



Hence why I am putting blame on both.   Upper management is in a role to deliver.  To us, as well to the bulk shareholders.   The measly % that you or I put into the 401-K does not make us a significant shareholder.  The large shareholder wants a certain return on their investment.  Lower expenses = higher return on investment = the banker or investment firm with 100 million shares is happy.   The little people are replaceable.  Large investment brokers are not.


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## bckrmbulldog (Jan 21, 2014)

could someone fill me in in the benefit of having insurance thru target? i have been there for almost ten years and have never utilized the benefit because it was always so expensive.  do they pay for part of it? trying to fully grasp the impact for my team, so please enlighten me


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## Rarejem (Jan 21, 2014)

Best company ever is kind of becoming Best Company Never


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## Target Annie (Jan 21, 2014)

how much did Greg make last year?


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## redeye58 (Jan 21, 2014)

Enough not to feel anything we're going through.....


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## daninnj (Jan 21, 2014)

Rarejem said:


> Best company ever is kind of becoming Best Company Never



It probably was the Best Company Ever in 1962. It all went downhill from there.


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## redeye58 (Jan 21, 2014)

The slide really started after Bob stepped down & Gregg took over.


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## daninnj (Jan 21, 2014)

We hear about all these cuts at the store/district level... are there any going on at HQ? They laid off some a few years ago but surely there's more fat to be trimmed there.


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## SlapHappy (Jan 21, 2014)

This is the first I've heard of this. No mention of it that I know of at my store. WTH?


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## Retail Girl (Jan 21, 2014)

I don't think I would know about it yet if it weren't for this place.  Apparently they've only told a couple of people at my store and were told to keep it under wraps while they pull in people in small groups and talk to them.  And then I came in and blew that plan out of the water...

After the ETL-HR and I verified that I was now full-time, the conversation in the TSC went like this:

Me: It's all good...I'm barely full-time.
TL: Good, go ahead and calm down and shake it off before you go back to work.
Me: (I still had my coat on) Oh, it's fine, I came in early to ask them about this, so I'm good.
TM 1: What? How in the world did you know about this if you weren't working?
Me: *shrug* I know everything.
TM 2: Facebook
TM 1: Oooh, it had to have been (another TM) she never can keep her mouth shut about anything, she can't keep doing this, blah, blah, blah.
(I let them rant a bit and get it out of their system)
Me: No, it wasn't that TM.
TM 1: I'm blaming her anyway.


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## TeamRed (Jan 21, 2014)

I feel your pain spot kicked me in the stomach a year ago because I wasn't making enough hrs and dropped my insurance so this year I finally signed up for obamacare. Thankfully I didn't have any health issues!


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 21, 2014)

I had told my hr, that this is 2 of the dumbest things to do spot tm's is to take away their insurance & then reduce hours for them too.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 21, 2014)

Target Annie said:


> how much did Greg make last year?



Gregg made 24 million in 2012. Within the last 3 years, Gregg made 64 million in salary.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 21, 2014)

Well, then, the lack of insurance for those under 31.5 hours goes towards a good cause.

After talking with a friend, I figured out why we are having this discrepancy between the 31.5 and 32 hours.  I have a friend who works in computer programming for benefits and such.  Apparently these programs do not handle fractional hours well...so to that end, it is all rounded.  So 31.5 rounds to 32.  As long as whatever you have can be rounded to 32 (or above) you should be eligible for something.


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2014)

Thanks Obama.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

So once again, you want to lay the blame not on the scum who cancelled the insurance but on the entity (and I'm not saying who because despite people slapping the presidents name on it, a lot of people worked on the ACA) that made the effort to provide insurance for people who didn't have insurance.

That kind of logic just makes my head hurt.

Of course, it's cheaper for the company to just dump all it's part timers off its insurance roles and let the government handle it.
It'll be a nice little bump for the executives and the share holders at the end of the year.
But it's fucking wrong!

Doesn't matter they're going to do it anyway.
And people blame the bill that was written to get insurance for all the people who couldn't get insurance?

I just don't get it.


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## Barcode (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> So once again, you want to lay the blame not on the scum who cancelled the insurance but on the entity (and I'm not saying who because despite people slapping the presidents name on it, a lot of people worked on the ACA) that made the effort to provide insurance for people who didn't have insurance.
> 
> That kind of logic just makes my head hurt.
> 
> ...



Despite the good intentions that were made by Obamacare, it really did not roll out how it was supposed to. A lot of people's premiums have gone up, and unless you qualify for subsidized coverage, you're basically screwed (luckily I do.... However its been a PITA trying to get it setup, very unorganized). A lot of the problems stem directly from the government website, and there are even inquiries into how secure peoples medical data really is (Sound familiar?).

Healthcare was something that I was never really concerned with prior to the Affordable care act.

Not trying to knock on Obama, because hes done some good things, but healthcare really IS a mess.....


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

I'm not trying to be an apologist for a system that is way more complicated than it ever should have been .
I always supported single payer, tied to the insurance companies like Germany or Israel. 
If you loose your job the government takes over paying for the insurance and the the companies work hard to give the best possible deals.
It doesn't matter how many hours you work, you have insurance.

Yes, the sign up system is pretty bad but then so was medicaid when it first set up but people don't remember that nightmare.
My grandfather didn't have a birth certificate to prove when he was born in order to apply for social security (the one room courthouse burned down).
He showed them his papers from when he joined the Navy and that still wasn't enough.
Took forever and he wasn't the only one.

Five years from now a lot of these concerns will be handled.
But Spot will still be smegheads.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-21/target-to-drop-health-insurance-for-part-time-workers.html


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

The spin in the first few paragraphs of this will make you dizzy:  http://www.abullseyeview.com/2014/01/talking-health-care-with-evp-of-human-resources-jodee-kozlak/


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## Super (Jan 22, 2014)

Hardlinesmaster said:


> I had told my hr, that this is 2 of the dumbest things to do spot tm's is to take away their insurance & then reduce hours for them too.



Agreed. Some people need that insurance and since the reduction of hours it's kinda hard to reach that "minimum hours" needed for it and then it's removed...counter-productive eh spotty?

Might as well change slogan to "Expect more. Pay less. Save Money. Live better" and let us think who is living better here (not us) ...Wal-TarMartGet incoming ^.^


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

> We recognize this change may be better for some and also may cause disruption for those who previously elected to enroll in this benefit.



That's not spin, that's a freaking tornado.
What did I tell you?
Smegheads.


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## usojelly (Jan 22, 2014)

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that less than 10% of employees used this anyway. The new coverage will be cheaper than what Target could have provided, and they are getting a $500 check. So what's the issue? For everyone here bitching, who actually used this?


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## RhettB (Jan 22, 2014)

I never said that it was right or ethical, but Target is not the only organization that is doing this.   Anyone who thinks that their and their families well being is more important than the bottom line is looking at things through some obtuse glasses.

Furthermore, anyone who realistically did not see this coming with the roll out of the ACA is again, looking at their job with Target through their obtuse views.

I've been here well over 10 years, and have seen many a things that have made me infuriated.   I do not let the asinine things they do raise my blood pressure anymore.


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## Super (Jan 22, 2014)

usojelly said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that less than 10% of employees used this anyway. The new coverage will be cheaper than what Target could have provided, and they are getting a $500 check. So what's the issue? For everyone here bitching, who actually used this?




Because cheaper doesn't mean it's better and some will not like the idea of government run healthcare. I say though I don't see any "B****ing" here as you call it I see a exchange of different perspectives and opinions about the matter.

----



commiecorvus said:


> Of course, it's cheaper for the company to just dump all it's part timers off its insurance roles and let the government handle it.
> It'll be a nice little bump for the executives and the share holders at the end of the year.


 

Yep :/...


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 22, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> The spin in the first few paragraphs of this will make you dizzy:  http://www.abullseyeview.com/2014/01/talking-health-care-with-evp-of-human-resources-jodee-kozlak/



I bet she got a bonus for those big savings. I feel sorry for some of my tm's who are part time, have medical issues & over 55.


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## SlapHappy (Jan 22, 2014)

And when does this change take effect?


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## nolongerspecial (Jan 22, 2014)

Hardlinesmaster said:


> I feel sorry for some of my tm's who are part time, have medical issues & over 55.



Same. This makes up a chunk of our flow team.


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## insiteful1 (Jan 22, 2014)

The company that I now work for will be dropping part time benefits in 2015, we barely hung onto them for 2014.  I would look for 95% of retail to drop PT this year or next.  Full timers will be next.....ooops, did I just say that?  Coming 2017.  Obama is a dingbat.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 22, 2014)

SlapHappy said:


> And when does this change take effect?



April 1st, 2014 is when the changes will take place.


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## GangulonCyst (Jan 22, 2014)

Of course, when the government sets up a legal bar to define who is part time and who is full time in regards to offering benefits, it is blatantly obvious that every business will want to maximize profits(duh, they are in business to make money, not care about employees) and drop benefits for every person they can. Our government set this debacle up for us. and the one-size-fits-all approach to each policy is not realistic. A 70 year old man does not need OB-GYN services, and a 20 year old woman does not need a prostrate exam(look that up if you don't believe me!!!). Everyone is paying for policies that are not risk based but instead are uniform in what they offer to everyone. Removing the pre-existing condition dis-qualifier from policies is a good thing and a step in the right direction, but keeping your kids on your policy until they are 26???? You can only claim them on your taxes until they are 18, so where is the reasoning for this??? If they wanted to give more people insurance, then just expand medicaid to cover more and raise everyone's taxes 1 or 2 % to cover the medicaid expansion. Now we are all saddled with policies with coverage we don't need and can't physically use(I have never needed an OB-GYN myself...lol....) and premiums that are going through the roof. This was simply a win for the insurance companies to line their pockets, and Obama went with the money and rammed this through. Even Carter is looking like a good president compared to this dimwit...


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

On the matter of 'men don't need and OB-GYN.
I don't know if you're Ashkenazi Jewish (I'm Jewish) and one of the things you have to do if your partner gets pregnant is be tested for Tay-Sachs disease.
Since the test is prescribed by the OB-Gyn there is a good chance your insurance won't cover it and the test isn't cheap.
Fun, fun, fun.

But yeah, your right this went from what should have been something that was good for the people to something that was sort of good for the people and really good for the insurance companies.
It's easy to blame the president, after all people have worked really hard to make him the bad guy on this.
But there are way too many other people who have done everything they can to make sure it doesn't work properly for me to say he is the only one at fault.


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## SeniorAP (Jan 22, 2014)

Did Wal-Mart drop healthcare for their PT team members?? Nope.


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## RhettB (Jan 22, 2014)

SeniorAP said:


> Did Wal-Mart drop healthcare for their PT team members?? Nope.



I think you likely mean "Not yet".


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## oath2order (Jan 22, 2014)

RhettB said:


> SeniorAP said:
> 
> 
> > Did Wal-Mart drop healthcare for their PT team members?? Nope.
> ...



Ehhh they might keep it, depending on how badly this one for Target goes.


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## odie (Jan 22, 2014)

What got me is that they suggested we do the "stereotypical three." 

That is, open availability, cross train, and show up to work on time. Everybody in the room already does all of the three. If those three things worked, I should never have less than 40 hours by their logic.


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## missionimpossible (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> Think of it as the beginning of Universal Coverage rather than depending on the government.
> Now all we have to do is make sure the Republicans don't get back into power so they can repeal it.



I think you meant "We have to get the republicans back in power so this communist crap gets repealed".


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## lovecats (Jan 22, 2014)

I just got a packet in the mail saying that I'm part time now with a booklet explaining how to sign up for Obamacare.  I'm really not wanting to unless they get the security issues taken care of.  They said I can still sign up for dental which was next to useless anyway.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

SeniorAP said:


> Did Wal-Mart drop healthcare for their PT team members?? Nope.



From what I understand, they stopped allowing new people to join, only allowing those who have been with the company to keep it.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

Hardlinesmaster said:


> Retail Girl said:
> 
> 
> > The spin in the first few paragraphs of this will make you dizzy:  http://www.abullseyeview.com/2014/01/talking-health-care-with-evp-of-human-resources-jodee-kozlak/
> ...



Pre-existing conditions and age are no longer factors that can be taken into consideration.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

usojelly said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that less than 10% of employees used this anyway. The new coverage will be cheaper than what Target could have provided, and they are getting a $500 check. So what's the issue? For everyone here bitching, who actually used this?



Ten percent is still 36,000 employees....and many here do use and depend on it, by the responses in this thread.  The health insurance is one of the main reasons I'm at Spot.  A $500 check would have been nice, but I would have ended up on Medicaid and lost all of my doctors in the process.  That's a big "ouch."


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## oath2order (Jan 22, 2014)

missionimpossible said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > Think of it as the beginning of Universal Coverage rather than depending on the government.
> ...



BAHAHAHAHA. Communist.

My coworkers are gonna have a laugh at this.



Retail Girl said:


> SeniorAP said:
> 
> 
> > Did Wal-Mart drop healthcare for their PT team members?? Nope.
> ...



Better than nothing I guess :/ I mean, yeah, it's bad for any new people but at least they didn't screw over the current employees.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

missionimpossible said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > Think of it as the beginning of Universal Coverage rather than depending on the government.
> ...



Dude, I grew up with communists, this is so far from communism that pretty clear you were sleeping through government class or only use one source of information for all your news.

Please check out some of the other countries and the systems they use to offer health care to their citizens.
Just about about everyone does a better job than we do.
And before you tell me about people coming over her to get surgeries because it takes forever to get them in their own counties, those are the rich and the rich can always go where they want.
The average Canadian wouldn't trade us for period, neither would the Germans, English, Australians, Israels, or Swiss.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

Our rich people have started going to South Korea for some surgeries.


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## RightArm (Jan 22, 2014)

Hrmmm.... reworded post in another attempt.


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## GlobalJ (Jan 22, 2014)

missionimpossible said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > Think of it as the beginning of Universal Coverage rather than depending on the government.
> ...



I get very passionate and hostile when I debate, and I kinda like this place, so all I'll say is this. Want communism? Go to Cuba, China, North Korea. Also, we are one of the only industrialized countries in the world without (true) UH. Obamacare is not perfect, far from it. But I'm an optimist. I'd like to hope that it will one day turn into some kind of decent and truly affordable health care. So yes, we need the republicans to go, they hate anything good. 

On topic, I do agree what Spot is doing is a dick move, but they don't care about ethics.


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## RightArm (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> Please check out some of the other countries and the systems they use to offer health care to their citizens.
> Just about about everyone does a better job than we do.
> And before you tell me about people coming over her to get surgeries because it takes forever to get them in their own counties, those are the rich and the rich can always go where they want.
> The average Canadian wouldn't trade us for period, neither would the Germans, English, Australians, Israels, or Swiss.



*sigh* Let me try this again... somehow hit the wrong button and canceled my post.  I do not know about the Germans, the Australians, the Israelis, or the Swiss BUT I do know about the English because I have friends in the UK.  To say "everyone does it better than we do" is not necessarily true.  In fact, while I haven't looked at the health care systems  in the other countries you've mentioned I would hazard a guess that none of us have it worked out perfectly.  Would they trade us for our system... probably not... do they think they have the best system in the world.... also, probably not.  I have one friend in the UK that told me they have 1 hospital for every 5,000 people and it took her an entire year to get a common test to find out what was wrong with her.  A test she would have most definitely received inside of a month here.  I was told by another British friend that our concept that they don't have medical insurance is skewed.  Because they don't have access to as many hospitals and medical professionals as we do... if you have a life threatening condition you HAVE to buy into medical insurance to get bumped ahead of the line in the event of an emergency.  I was also told that since their doctors are not getting paid anywhere near what ours are at the moment it's a struggle for them to rise above the debt of medical school.  For this reason, when medical students graduate they often seek another country of employment so they can get the money they need to get over that hurdle and have a good life on the other side.  The end result is fewer and fewer doctors available and more and more people being serviced by one hospital.  I am concerned for our country that the direction we're heading may end up putting us in the same boat.  Is there any other country out there who actually has a system we should all emulate?


----------



## RhettB (Jan 22, 2014)

I recall Obama saying "If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it".  Keep believing his diatribe.  This is why the Republicans need to take things back over.


----------



## 3LetterDevil (Jan 22, 2014)

RightArm said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > Please check out some of the other countries and the systems they use to offer health care to their citizens.
> ...


Must be something with "Countries that start with 'S'"....supposedly, Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore & South Korea are pretty good....Australia too. I just read an article not too long ago about the countries with the most efficient health care systems in the world and those are the ones that I remember.


----------



## lovecats (Jan 22, 2014)

GlobalJ said:


> missionimpossible said:
> 
> 
> > commiecorvus said:
> ...



Ok, I already have a headache and feel like someone punched me in my stomach from finding out that I won't have insurance this year thru Spot, and now you just told me I need to go because I hate anything good.  Yes, I'm a conservative Republican.  Thanks so much for making me feel so much better now.


----------



## TiedAndDropped (Jan 22, 2014)

The ACA has had its problems rolling out, but I think it will come to be seen as much better than the way things used to be.  A lot more people will get health insurance, and many will pay less than they had been paying.  

Getting health insurance through your job is a bad idea, and the sooner this changes the better.  Think of how many people have been locked into a job they hate because they can't take a chance on losing insurance for even a short time.

By the way, the ACA is "insurance company-run health care", not "government-run health care."

We'd all be better off with single payer.  Medicare is single-payer, SOCIALIST, and I and most seniors love it.


----------



## JustJoe (Jan 22, 2014)

I'm right in the middle of all of this. As of 1/1, my average hours are 29.40. My average hours over the past 5 months are right around 35. On average I have been gaining 1.5 hours a month and probably won't hit the FT barrier that Spot put in place for health insurance until AFTER open enrollment closes.

...and I'm on the PT plan. FML.


----------



## TiedAndDropped (Jan 22, 2014)

JustJoe said:


> I'm right in the middle of all of this. As of 1/1, my average hours are 29.40. My average hours over the past 5 months are right around 35. On average I have been gaining 1.5 hours a month and probably won't hit the FT barrier that Spot put in place for health insurance until AFTER open enrollment closes.
> 
> ...and I'm on the PT plan. FML.



Just a warning - the "average hours" that determine your status is not the "average hours" on your paycheck.  They use the average of all of 2013.  The number on the paycheck is not the same thing.  HR can look up the right number.


----------



## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

lovecats said:


> GlobalJ said:
> 
> 
> > missionimpossible said:
> ...



That's the crux of the issue right here.  Like I said yesterday, every other day of the week, I will go toe to toe with anyone regarding the ACA. But for now, people have lost their health insurance because Spot chose to cut it. And whatever your ideology is, that is going to hurt...a lot....some more than others.

So maybe this isn't the best place to debate about what could or could not be and instead focus on the facts: what we have in this country is currently what we have, and 36,000 people are now left scrambling to figure out what in the hell to do next.


----------



## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

JustJoe said:


> I'm right in the middle of all of this. As of 1/1, my average hours are 29.40. My average hours over the past 5 months are right around 35. On average I have been gaining 1.5 hours a month and probably won't hit the FT barrier that Spot put in place for health insurance until AFTER open enrollment closes.
> 
> ...and I'm on the PT plan. FML.



Part time and full time status is determined once a year and has already been determined for the following year.  You now start over fresh trying to make full time status for next year...you cannot change from one to the other mid-year for any benefits purpose.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

RightArm, I agree with you somewhat on the British healthcare system.
Back when Thatcher was PM she chopped it to bits and Tony Blair despite all his promises didn't do much to fix it.

This is a good piece from NPR on the German healthcare system.
It's very fair, everyone pays 8% of their income for healthcare, however little or much that is, to private insurance companies.
Since on the average Americans spend 18% on medical care this isn't a bad deal considering what you get.
There are no copays, not out of area doctors, none of that.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91971406


----------



## InStalker (Jan 22, 2014)

usojelly said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that less than 10% of employees used this anyway. The new coverage will be cheaper than what Target could have provided, and they are getting a $500 check. So what's the issue? For everyone here bitching, who actually used this?



It's not cheaper in every case. For me, I'll be losing my benefits from Target. I checked the healthcare exchange yesterday after work and the cheapest, bottom-of-the-barrel plan will cost more than 4 times what I was paying for my Target coverage. And I may have made just barely enough to disqualify me from Medicaid coverage so the healthcare exchange might be my only option since my second job employs too few people to be required to offer healthcare insurance.

But the argument then becomes, "Sure it's more expensive at first but you'll qualify for tax subsidies." My response to that is, I don't make enough money working two jobs to afford the monthly payment. I would have to wait until the following year to recover the money spent on the insurance payment. It makes more sense for me to forgo insurance all together just to make enough money to live. And by doing that, I'll have to suffer a tax penalty of $95 this year, $295 next year, and then $695 in 2016. 

This shit really is a catch-22 in every sense of the phrase.


----------



## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

RhettB said:


> I recall Obama saying "If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it".  Keep believing his diatribe.  This is why the Republicans need to take things back over.



I'm going to answer this one and than stop because as Retail Girl pointed this thread is about the people who lost their insurance, the ACA is the law of the land and we need to do what we can to help them.

It's been proven that the insurance companies were the ones who were at fault for cancelling the peoples policies and it had little to do with the ACA.



> The fact is if you are one of the estimated 2 million Americans whose health insurance plans may have been cancelled this month, you should not be blaming President Obama or the Affordable Care Act.
> 
> You should be blaming your insurance company because they have not been providing you with coverage that meets the minimum basic standards for health care.
> 
> ...



I got this from Fox News so it must be true.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013...ama-or-aca-blame-america-insurance-companies/


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## InStalker (Jan 22, 2014)

An as far as this decision affecting "only 10% of employees", that's still 36000 people. As far as I'm concerned, Target owes me a hell of a lot more than a measly $500.


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## Rarejem (Jan 22, 2014)

usojelly said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that less than 10% of employees used this anyway. The new coverage will be cheaper than what Target could have provided, and they are getting a $500 check. So what's the issue? For everyone here bitching, who actually used this?



Me ...  and my children.


----------



## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

Rarejem said:


> usojelly said:
> 
> 
> > Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that less than 10% of employees used this anyway. The new coverage will be cheaper than what Target could have provided, and they are getting a $500 check. So what's the issue? For everyone here bitching, who actually used this?
> ...



Sorry to hear that Rarejem.


----------



## Formina Sage (Jan 22, 2014)

daninnj said:


> We hear about all these cuts at the store/district level... are there any going on at HQ? They laid off some a few years ago but surely there's more fat to be trimmed there.



Ha! They are just wrapping up a 33-million dollar addition to their north-metro HQ campus.


----------



## GlobalJ (Jan 22, 2014)

Formina Sage said:


> daninnj said:
> 
> 
> > We hear about all these cuts at the store/district level... are there any going on at HQ? They laid off some a few years ago but surely there's more fat to be trimmed there.
> ...



Scumbag Gregg


----------



## PullMeBackIn (Jan 22, 2014)

I'm getting a kick out of everyone saying that if we could get republicans in office this would all magically go away. It's done and gone, Target will no longer have benefits for part timers. Once they've ripped off that bandaid and endured the negative press they're not gonna change their mind. It's all about cutting costs at this point and your part time health benefits are the best way to cut those costs.


----------



## stateoftarget11 (Jan 22, 2014)

BullseyeBabe said:


> No more insurance for part time team members! Are you freaking kidding me? I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach! Maybe this will provide the incentive I need to go find something better. I've been here to many years and now this. Thanks Spot! You SUCK!!!!!!



In all fairness, it is really hard to fault Target on this.  The vast majority of companies do not offer health insurance to part time employees. (yes, I know there are some companies that are exceptions.... but they are still exceptions)  This was kind of an out of the ordinary "above and beyond" thing for Target.

But nevertheless, just goes to show what I have been saying for years now.... Target is slowly becoming a worse and worse place to work.... and they also dying a slow death that most people still don't realize....


----------



## Tiemypog (Jan 22, 2014)

So let's see here. A Law that was passed by Dems in the middle of the night, which Nancy Pelosi said famously "We'll have to pass this law to see what's in it". winds up not doing what people thought it would do.


Big surprise.


It was foretold by many, many people that the law would be a disaster. Not to mention the fact that the damn government  website is so open to Hackers that it makes the Target breach almost difficult.

Oh yeah, I'm gonna go on that website and put in all my info...


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## BRguy (Jan 22, 2014)

Wow, Target dropping coverage for part time team members for those that can't meet 31.5 average hours? Yikes! I left the company at a good time! I had a feeling this would eventually happen. For those that are affected hopefully you guys can meet/sustain over 31.5 average hours. If not stay positive and look for other means of acquiring health insurance.


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## masterspot (Jan 22, 2014)

BullseyeBabe said:


> No more insurance for part time team members! Are you freaking kidding me? I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach! Maybe this will provide the incentive I need to go find something better. I've been here to many years and now this. Thanks Spot! You SUCK!!!!!!



I thought they put this in effect last year when they replaced the insurance with HSA/HRA's?


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

For folks who might be looking for part time jobs with health insurance
Barnes & Noble
Starbucks
Costco
Lands End
UPS
U-Haul
Wegmans

Most of these have different amounts of time you have to work for them etc.
Here's an article with more information.
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5752-part-time-jobs-with-benefits.html


As much as I promised myself I wouldn't do this I just can't help it.
When it comes down to the security on healthcare.gov, I've got some friends who are much better with computers than I am, they work in IT and security etc.
They tell me that with basic Google tools you can crawl the site and pull information about it that would allow you to introduce nastier stuff if you wanted to.
They also told me that more than 50% of the governments web sites are as bad or worse.
Some of them you might use on a regular basis.

This also applies to shopping sites and stuff like that.
Most of this stuff can be fixed and they said it probably will be soon.
At least I hope so, my friends aren't going to say anything, they prefer to stay anonymous.


----------



## Tiemypog (Jan 22, 2014)

So, Commiecorvus, you agree that perhaps going onto the website could be dangerous?

Something to consider...


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## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

Tiemypog said:


> So, Commiecorvus, you agree that perhaps going onto the website could be dangerous?
> 
> Something to consider...



No more dangerous than filing your taxes or applying for a Pell grant.


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## Tiemypog (Jan 22, 2014)

Wow. That sure makes my mind at ease.

Guess you have a very low threshold on .gov reliability.


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## redeye58 (Jan 22, 2014)

Anybody remember the dependents purge they did a few years back? 
I had to send off copies of my marriage certificate & birth certificates for my boys to keep them on my plan. I was one of the lucky ones. A coworker in a common-law marriage had to go to the courthouse & swear out affidavits attesting to her relationship & another had to attest that he was responsible for his stepkids' healthcare even tho he hadn't adopted them (father died, former in-laws wanted kids to retain his name). 
All in all, spot shed a LOT of dependents just a yr or 2 BEFORE dropping HMOs & PPOs so they've cut a LOT of healthcare expenses in a relatively short time. 
And it's still not enough.


----------



## RhettB (Jan 22, 2014)

redeye58 said:


> Anybody remember the dependents purge they did a few years back?
> I had to send off copies of my marriage certificate & birth certificates for my boys to keep them on my plan. I was one of the lucky ones. A coworker in a common-law marriage had to go to the courthouse & swear out affidavits attesting to her relationship & another had to attest that he was responsible for his stepkids' healthcare even tho he hadn't adopted them (father died, former in-laws wanted kids to retain his name).
> All in all, spot shed a LOT of dependents just a yr or 2 BEFORE dropping HMOs & PPOs so they've cut a LOT of healthcare expenses in a relatively short time.
> And it's still not enough.



Last year they added the dependent partner eligibility as well.


----------



## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> For folks who might be looking for part time jobs with health insurance
> Barnes & Noble
> Starbucks
> Costco
> ...



Barnes and Noble ended their part time health insurance at the end of the calendar year.


----------



## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > For folks who might be looking for part time jobs with health insurance
> ...




Sorry about that.
I knew they had them and Business News Daily said they still did.
That's another company that is having major issues.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

I only know this because the woman I live with's daughter works at Barnes and Noble. What a mess all around.


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## pharmlady55 (Jan 22, 2014)

Yup and Gregg made 23,000,000 in 2013, that is 2,000,000 a month or 500,000 a week!!!!!  Those of us poor employees who wait every week with baited breath to see our upcoming hours posted so we can figure out our money and our bills while he sits back and enjoys the life of the rich and famous.  I see my fellow team members working sooooo hard each day with a smile on their faces and saying they're just grateful to have a job.  I admire them and I'm proud to work along side many of them.  I see young people having bread with peanut butter day after day because it's "free" in the breakroom, never complaining, so they can use their money for necessities.  Gregg needs to come down off his high horse and take a good long hard look around his "stores" and into the eyes of the people who keep getting more and more taken away from them.


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## redeye58 (Jan 22, 2014)

Gregg wouldn't do that any more than one of the Walmart heirs.


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## pharmlady55 (Jan 22, 2014)

Not really talking about Walmart here.  What happens there doesn't concern me.  But I do have a good friend who works there and loves it.  Just saying.:excited:


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## SlapHappy (Jan 22, 2014)

I'm one of the 10% who uses the health care coverage and likes it. I checked into the ACA coverage in my area and it's substantially less expensive but also woefully inadequate in some ways. I wasn't impressed.


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## oath2order (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> For folks who might be looking for part time jobs with health insurance
> Barnes & Noble
> Starbucks
> Costco
> ...



A Wegmans opened right up the street from my store. If I wasn't going cross country I would TOTALLY go to Wegmans. Their store looks AMAZING.



Formina Sage said:


> daninnj said:
> 
> 
> > We hear about all these cuts at the store/district level... are there any going on at HQ? They laid off some a few years ago but surely there's more fat to be trimmed there.
> ...



I want to strangle the people who decided that was a good idea.


How do we go about getting this $500?


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

oath2order said:


> How do we go about getting this $500?



Well, first you need to bend over.....


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## stateoftarget11 (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> For folks who might be looking for part time jobs with health insurance
> Barnes & Noble
> Starbucks
> Costco
> ...



Keep in mind you do *not *need to sign up on healthcare.gov!  *That is a myth!
*

All healthcare.gov does is merge all the various health insurance companies on one convenient site. * You can still sign up directly through the health insurance company without going to healthcare.gov!*

Here are some links to sign up directly with the health insurance companies and bypass healthcare.gov:

http://www.uhc.com/
http://www.bcbs.com/
http://www.aetna.com/
http://www.cigna.com/
https://www.humana.com/

These are the direct web sites for same health care providers on healthcare.gov.  These are the companies own web sites, that are managed and run by multi-billion dollar companies with the cash to hire high skilled IT people.  The government has never touched these corporate web sites and I promise you they are secure.  The only downside is that you will have to go to each one to get the rates from each company.  (much more time consuming than healthcare.gov, but you can be sure it will be secure)

And if you still don't want to go on their web sites, you can also call the company directly and sign up over the phone.


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## stateoftarget11 (Jan 22, 2014)

*Official Target press statement on the health care cuts is out!*

http://t.money.msn.com/business-news/newsarticle?feed=AP&date=20140122&id=17281167&symbol=TGT


NEW YORK (AP) - Target Corp. says it will no longer be offering health care coverage for its part-time workers.

The discounter is citing new options now available through health care exchanges under the Affordable Care Act.

*Target, based in Minneapolis, said the majority of its part-time workers who have been eligible for its health care insurance coverage don't enroll. In fact, less than 10 percent of its total employees of 361,000 take advantage of the part-time plan. It said it will stop covering the part-time workers beginning April 1.*

Other large employers including UPS are scaling back health coverage by dropping spouses from their employee plans if they are able to get insurance through another employer.

"Health care reform is transforming the benefits landscape and affecting how all employers, including Target, administer health benefits coverage," Jodee Kozlack, Target's executive vice president of human resources, said in a corporate blog post Tuesday.

*"Our decision to discontinue this benefit comes after careful consideration of the impact of our stores' part-time team members and to Target, the new options available for our part-time team, and the historically low number of team members who elected to enroll in the part-time plan."*

Target said in the post that by offering its part-time workers insurance, it could actually disqualify many of them from new subsidies that could reduce their overall health insurance expenses.

Target says part-time workers who are enrolled in the health care plan and are losing coverage will be given a $500 cash payment.

The Affordable Care Act created insurance exchanges that customers can visit to shop for coverage and compare policies. Some people also qualify for income-based subsidies or tax credits to help buy a plan.

The law requires that companies with 50 or more workers offer full-time workers — defined as those working 30 hours or more — health coverage.

Target said that employees who average between 20 and 31 hours per week will continue to be eligible for other benefits, including vacation, dental, disability and life insurance. Its part-time employees also will still qualify for store discounts and its 401(k) plan.

*Separately, Target said Wednesday that it was laying off 475 employees across the company's operations. It also said that over the past six months it has closed about 700 open positions across the entire chain.*

"As an organization, Target continually assesses our operating model to ensure we are well positioned to adapt to changing business needs," said Molly Snyder, a Target spokeswoman, in a statement. "We believe these decisions, while difficult, are the right actions as we continue to focus on transforming our business."

*The move comes almost two weeks after Target lowered its fourth-quarter profit outlook as it grapples with the fallout of a massive security breach. Before the breach, the discounter has had uneven sales growth as it navigates a still difficult economic environment.*

Target shares slipped 22 cents to finish at $58.98 in trading Wednesday. They are down 4 percent over the past year.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


----------



## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

I moved your post in here because a) I posted a link to this in this thread last night, and b) I'd prefer to keep the health insurance discussion in one place.


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## sher (Jan 22, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> .
> They tell me that with basic Google tools you can crawl the site and pull information about it that would allow you to introduce nastier stuff if you wanted to.
> They also told me that more than 50% of the governments web sites are as bad or worse.
> Some of them you might use on a regular basis.



Yuh. It has been written about. Some other guy already came out about it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...idnt-steal-70000-records-from-healthcare-gov/

There's allegedly a paper application, though.

I just did the online one. I live my life pretty hakuna matata-like compared to many people though.. except when it comes to anything that leads to a webmd search. Then, hakuna matata gets thrown out the window.


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## sher (Jan 22, 2014)

Also, Target's reason for dropping it is dumb. Some of the people who don't enroll might have insurance already from a first job, a spouse's job, a parent's job (like me and other under 26 people and a bunch of the teens that work pt at Target...)

I don't think I was gonna enroll this year, but I still think it's shitty of them.

Insurance is one of the things I'm not knowledgable about, soo, question: if more people were enrolling, would Target have been spending even more on it?

*whispers* I don't get why so many people still think Target is soooo great when compared to Walmart. And everyone thinks they're doing some great deed by choosing Target.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

It's has finally happen.  First got rid of traditional insurance. They moved into HSA accounts and  now? They decided to gut health insurance completely. This should have  been expected. Target is using Obamacare as an excuse to haste the  process of offering no insurance. 


  Target excuse that only 10% Target workers got insurance is just an  horrible excuse. They know because of the new law. Everyone is going to  sign up in April and Target doesn't want to pay for 100% of the  employees. 


  Also Target had four years notice of this was going to happen and  decided not to do anything. This clearly shows that Target doesn't care  for their workers. To them we are just cogs of the corporate machine and  not human. We are just commodity to be exploited and thrown away when  not needed. 
  Us workers need to work together and fight this.


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## konk (Jan 22, 2014)

Stupid question, but can I get COBRA? What if I quit before April 1st?


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

I think they might have had more people sign up this year simply because of the requirement to get insurance, but it could be wrong.  If the number was so low, then why not keep it since it surely can't be costing them that much? Or is that 36,000 people more significant than they would like to admit?


----------



## commiecorvus (Jan 22, 2014)

Welcome to The Break Room bab5crusade.

I like the cut of your jib.

The is virtual cold beer and hot coffee every day in the chat room on the front page, drop by.


----------



## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

konk said:


> Stupid question, but can I get COBRA? What if I quit before April 1st?



I was wondering about that.  It might be more expensive than a plan on the exchange (but may be worth it if your only other option is Medicaid).  That is something the benefits people they hired to individually walk each of the 36,000 people through should be able to answer (if you can get ahold of them through the deluge of calls they are likely to have).


----------



## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> I think they might have had more people sign up this year simply because of the requirement to get insurance, but it could be wrong.  If the number was so low, then why not keep it since it surely can't be costing them that much? Or is that 36,000 people more significant than they would like to admit?



That is the reason why they dropped the insurance. They don't want the 10% pop up to 90%-100%. It's cheaper for the company to drop the insurance and push people into the health exchange. Since we are payed so low. Most of us will be joining Medicaid. The tax payers will be subsidizing Target's employee's healthcare.


----------



## konk (Jan 22, 2014)

I haven't checked yet, but I think my wife makes too much for us to get a cheap plan. It was gonna cost a lot for me to be on her plan too, so she didn't even get insurance last year.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

konk said:


> I haven't checked yet, but I think my wife makes too much for us to get a cheap plan. It was gonna cost a lot for me to be on her plan too, so she didn't even get insurance last year.



Do you live in a state where it has the medicaid expansion?


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 22, 2014)

Ck with county or state family services, they may have other options for insurance.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

konk said:


> I haven't checked yet, but I think my wife makes too much for us to get a cheap plan. It was gonna cost a lot for me to be on her plan too, so she didn't even get insurance last year.



This is a life changing event, so you ought to be able to get on her plan without it being open enrollment.


----------



## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

I find the timing odd. Why tell us now and not like last year? It gives employees less time to enroll in the health exchanges. Open enrollment ends in March.


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## konk (Jan 22, 2014)

She's just gonna pay the penalty. She knows that I need insurance more, so our money will have to go to that.

I think if we had been told sooner, I may have been able to get my hours up to 31.5.


----------



## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

konk said:


> She's just gonna pay the penalty. She knows that I need insurance more, so our money will have to go to that.
> 
> I think if we had been told sooner, I may have been able to get my hours up to 31.5.



Actually you may not have to pay the penalty. If you are too poor. You don't have to pay it. Also the penalty only starts on the 2015 return I believe.


----------



## konk (Jan 22, 2014)

Yeah I think it's 11k for single, not sure for joint. Good to know about 2015 though.


----------



## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

konk said:


> Yeah I think it's 11k for single, not sure for joint. Good to know about 2015 though.



I believe I maybe wrong on the date, but here is a FAQ on the penalty: 

https://www.healthcare.gov/what-if-someone-doesnt-have-health-coverage-in-2014/
https://www.healthcare.gov/exemptions/


----------



## Retail Girl (Jan 22, 2014)

This is considered a life qualifying event.  That means that you all will actually have an extra 60 days to sign up for coverage. 

https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-get-coverage-outside-of-open-enrollment/


----------



## mrknownothing (Jan 22, 2014)

Jackswastedlife99 said:


> Thanks Obama.





Barcode said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > So once again, you want to lay the blame not on the scum who cancelled the insurance but on the entity (and I'm not saying who because despite people slapping the presidents name on it, a lot of people worked on the ACA) that made the effort to provide insurance for people who didn't have insurance.
> ...



For what it's worth, "Thanks, Obama" is an internet meme. I get the impression that Jackswastedlife99 was trying to make light of the situation.

Not that I've ever been eligible for part-time insurance (not enough hours at Target and it's not offered at my county job), but now I'm even more thankful for my relatively good health........and the fact that I'm somehow still covered by my parents' insurance.


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## daninnj (Jan 22, 2014)

Man did anyone else hear the spin they give in the script? Something like "we're cutting part time health insurance so you can get cheaper rates on the government insurance." I like how they make it like they're trying to help us.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 22, 2014)

daninnj said:


> Man did anyone else hear the spin they give in the script? Something like "we're cutting part time health insurance so you can get cheaper rates on the government insurance." I like how they make it like they're trying to help us.



Basically saying: "We got tired paying for your health. It is more profitable for us to make you all to get taxpayer subsidized healthcare through the state."


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## redeye58 (Jan 22, 2014)

If enough companies do this (dump their coverage, forcing employees into ACA), it could be the first step toward a universal (single payer) health plan.


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

I actually have to give my STL a ton of credit for his handling of the issue. He basically came out and told us the truth and was sympathetic. He even allowed one distressed team member to use his office computer to help find a new healthcare provider. I kind of feel bad for the ETL-HRs and STLs who have to handle this. They weren't really given any prior notice and just had this dropped into their laps and for every one team member who understands it's not their fault there will probably be a dozen more screaming at them.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 23, 2014)

redeye58 said:


> If enough companies do this (dump their coverage, forcing employees into ACA), it could be the first step toward a universal (single payer) health plan.



Actually not:



> Is Obamacare a step toward single-payer?
> 
> The ACA isn't a bridge to universal health care. It is a cul-de-sac, structured above all else to maintain the central role of the health care industry in general, and private insurance companies in particular....Achieving universal health coverage and access to care will require dismantling the core of the ACA and replacing it with something else entirely.
> http://socialistworker.org/2014/01/14/a-step-toward-single-payer



[h=1][/h]


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

Yeah, the ACA was originally an attempt to begin the process toward moving to a single-payer, but once the insurance lobbyists and greedy Congressmen sunk their teeth into it we got the bloated mess we have today.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 23, 2014)

The Dude Abides said:


> Yeah, the ACA was originally an attempt to begin the process toward moving to a single-payer, but once the insurance lobbyists and greedy Congressmen sunk their teeth into it we got the bloated mess we have today.



Back when ACA was being developed. Obama was not a supporter of single-payer. He believe insurance companies are needed and he believed the health exchanges are the best option. 

The only way we will get single-payer is state by state like Vermont is doing.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2014)

When I posted "Thanks Obama", I was mainly being sarcastic and it was a nod to all of those GIFs that people have made that show people making mistakes and it the GIF has "Thanks Obama" in it.  I think one has a guy watching TV and he spills his popcorn and you see "Thanks Obama" on the screen.  Personally, I think the ACA or Obamacare is a joke because it does the complete opposite of what the silly was intended to do.  It was intended to help people.  It doesn't help people.  It screws people either in the sense that they lose their insurance due to their employer terminating the insurance because of costs and then they have to sign up for wonderful health care plan that is ridiculously more expensive than the one they had before.  And you shouldn't be forced to buy something.  You can't use car insurance because you don't have to have a car.  Even if you did have a car, you would only have to have car insurance if your car is registered.  I think people should be allowed to take chances when it comes to their health but at the same time I guess you should be allowed to have medical help in case of an emergency without having to sell your soul to the devil. Sorry for the rant.  And no, I'm not a Republican.  I voted for a 3rd party candidate for president in 2012.  I honestly don't think I will ever vote for a Republican or Democrat for anything.  Both parties are jokes and the members of those parties should be ashamed of themselves for destroying America.


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## Ember (Jan 23, 2014)

At the end of last year I was working 40 plus hour weeks. Originally I had known that I would be eligible for insurance at my 6 month anniversary, which was to be at enrollment time. I looked at the ACA option and it wasn't an option because it cost more than we could afford and was going to be better for us to get it through Target. Where we both work, the spouse is eligible of course but when it was only one income it was not an option because it was too expensive.  Now they have told me that  Average for the year means that I would have to be there for a year. Does that sound right? Every time I looked my average hours were 39.5...I don't think this is fair seeing that in six more months I will make a year and I always get more that 30 hours. Unless they say, no your 40 hour overtime mark is now 30. I am upset because I was excited to get insurance because I had stuck it out there for the last six months, and now it's too late to get ACA. I need to go to the doctor at some point in my life. Guess I will have to take the tax penalty and pay cash for the doc. My health care always gets pushed to the back burner. Spouse is more important because Spouse is a long time Target employee, and spouse has long term incurable illness. I'm upset and lost and not understanding what the point of continuing to work there is. It's a shame because I am a good employee, and do multiple jobs.


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## sher (Jan 23, 2014)

You can still do ACA. Open enrollment ends on March 31st. I think they do it for that long, because you're "allowed" to be uninsured for 3 mos with no penalty. So if you're insured by then, you won't be penalized. And if you're insured after that (you won't be able to get insurance from the marketplace at that point) the penalties are prorated with 15 days being rounded up to 1 month and anything less than 15 days doesn't count.


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## FlowMonkey (Jan 23, 2014)

daninnj said:


> Man did anyone else hear the spin they give in the script? Something like "we're cutting part time health insurance so you can get cheaper rates on the government insurance." I like how they make it like they're trying to help us.



yeah and between my wife and I we make too much money to qualify for any of the incentives out there so we will end up paying $230/month each for similar insurance


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## commiecorvus (Jan 23, 2014)

FlowMonkey said:


> yeah and between my wife and I we make too much money to qualify for any of the incentives out there so we will end up paying $230/month each for similar insurance



At the very least it has to be better insurance, what Spot offers barely qualifies.
Did you use the calculator I posted, it's supposed to be pretty accurate (though of course MWV)
http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/

Also Spot is supposed to be providing a specialist to help people find alternative insurance.
I would so hold their feet to the fire on that one.
Make sure they have that person show you how to get the insurance you need and make sure they get you your $500.


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## Formina Sage (Jan 23, 2014)

stateoftarget11 said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > For folks who might be looking for part time jobs with health insurance
> ...



Quoting for truth. Healthcare.gov is called a "health insurance marketplace" because it consolidates all the plans from various providers that meet the criteria that you specify. You are still able to (and encouraged to) find that specific plan from the provider of your choosing and register through their corporate site.


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## willthisbeonthetest (Jan 23, 2014)

I am blessed because I get insurance through my husband's employer, but just for kicks and giggles I followed up on the advice given in the announcement our STL and ETL-HR were forced to read, just to see how much BS it contained.  They indicated part time workers would fare better in the open marketplace -- that insurance premiums would be cheaper for team members going through the exchange than if they signed up with company benefits.  So...I took my salary/average hour information and keyed it as if I was a single mother of two children living on a part time Target salary...my premium on the exchange would be 53% of my annual income and I WOULD NOT be eligible for a subsidy.

So, yeah, I'm thinking they're talking out of their asses and using the current political climate as a patsy -- blaming Obamacare for dropping this benefit all while lining their pockets with more money.

Spot, I call shotgun on BS!


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

I did a search on the Healthcare.gov website and the lowest premium plan will end up equally over 10% of my yearly income and it's deductible before they start paying for anything is $6,350! I made $13,000 last year and according to the site I am not eligible for subsidies. How in the hell is this possible?


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## bab5crusade (Jan 23, 2014)

The Dude Abides said:


> I did a search on the Healthcare.gov website and the lowest premium plan will end up equally over 10% of my yearly income and it's deductible before they start paying for anything is $6,350! I made $13,000 last year and according to the site I am not eligible for subsidies. How in the hell is this possible?



Do you live in a red state? Many Republican controlled states opposes some expansion of medicaid and other key stuff in Obamacare. If you don't live in a state with those expansions. Access to subsidized healthcare is much lower.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 23, 2014)

The Dude Abides said:


> I did a search on the Healthcare.gov website and the lowest premium plan will end up equally over 10% of my yearly income and it's deductible before they start paying for anything is $6,350! I made $13,000 last year and according to the site I am not eligible for subsidies. How in the hell is this possible?



You don't qualify for subsidies?


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

According to the website I don't. Shockingly I live in a state that recently expanded medicaid and is a traditional blue state though we have a dipshit Republican governor right now.

According to my state anyone who makes up $11,000 is above poverty...


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

Ok, so I just wanted to see what would happen if I kept lowering the income rate to see when subsidies would be available. I eventually put the total household income at $0 and I still got a return of "not eligible for subsidies." Either the site is completely broken (very possible) or the calculation for the subsidies is completely screwed. Any household with more than 1 person doesn't qualify for a single person without a child to receive healthcare subsidies.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 23, 2014)

You don't qualify for a subsidy because you make too little. At 13,000 they want you to take the Medicaid option.


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

Except medicaid doesn't accept single childless adults making how much I do in my state.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 23, 2014)

They should. The new limit is 133% of the poverty limit, but I know my state used to limit it to those with children. I thought they had to take away that restriction. But I'm not sure. Blah.


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

The problem is that I don't live alone, as a result they seem to think I share my healthcare costs with the others in my household which is not true.


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## XploitedFlow (Jan 23, 2014)

While this doesn't affect me directly due to the fact I simply cannot afford more money out of my checks to use Targets HC.  There were about 4-5 TMs when they told us this at our 8AM break that looked like they were about to puke.

Our Log etl who I respect a lot for how she handled it, just read us the memo verbatim and opened her door to anyone and flat out apologized to us when she was finished, its disgusting how they word that kind of stuff in the memo.  "We care about our TMs"  Doesn't seem like it.

I'm seriously sorry for anyone affected by this also.  Targets mascot should be a portable crapper.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 23, 2014)

Yeah, I don't live alone either, so I was wondering how that was figured even though my income is separate and my expenses are my own. If you don't file taxes together, then there's no reason they should require us to figure that together for aid. That's a fucking crock, and I feel your pain.


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 23, 2014)

After accessing my W-2s I found I actually made less money than 2012, so my income was around 11.5k which apparently is still such an insanely high amount of money that I don't qualify for government subsidies. So after all of the hassle of going through everything I have found out a couple of things:

- Because Medicaid is not expanding in my state I am not eligible for it. So basically FUCK YOU *insert name of my Republican state governor here*!
- Because I make such a little amount of money I won't be fined for not having healthcare coverage (yay?)
- My insurance premiums and deductibles are absolutely outrageous and unaffordable for me. As a full-time student(responsible for all of those costs), how in the blue hell am I supposed to afford to have almost 15% of my monthly income to go to a health insurance plan that covers NOTHING! The deductible would be more than half of my yearly wage which will never be hit, so then 100% of my healthcare costs would be my responsibility unless I have an extreme emergency or procedure that would cost more than that.

That is absolutely outrageous to me.


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## xxTheDudexx (Jan 23, 2014)

I was just watching the news this morning.  If you receive Medicare, your children will get stuck with the bill after you're gone.  That sounds like an ingenious plan...


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## RandomRedShirt (Jan 23, 2014)

Our store just told the day crew this morning & haven't said a word to us flow workers yet.  From what I've read on a few sites if you live with people but you file your taxes alone and pay for your own insurance you are to list yourself as a household of one.  That's my understanding so far since I've been reading this mess the last few hours after having a total freakout.  If this is so Target can keep their garbage, I'll be heading back to Blue Cross like I had when I started in '02.  So much for loyalty to the people that actually do the work


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## commiecorvus (Jan 23, 2014)

Like I said, Spot promised you would get an adviser to show how to get insurance comparable to theirs and $500.
Push for it, hard!
I know that's only for the people that had insurance  them already but it's a start.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 23, 2014)

xxTheDudexx said:


> I was just watching the news this morning.  If you receive Medicare, your children will get stuck with the bill after you're gone.  That sounds like an ingenious plan...



Uh, no.


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## seasonal (Jan 23, 2014)

Taken from the article posted earlier in the thread.   http://www.abullseyeview.com/2014/01/talking-health-care-with-evp-of-human-resources-jodee-kozlak/


*Will Target be limiting hours to team members as a result of the change in benefits? *

*No.* At any time, our team members can talk to their manager about their interest and availability to work more hours. In fact, during the holiday season we offered our year-round part time and full time team members the opportunity to take on additional hours or cross-train to work in other areas — at their request.
*
LIES. ALL LIES.*


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## nolongerspecial (Jan 23, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> Like I said, Spot promised you would get an adviser to show how to get insurance comparable theirs and $500.
> Push for it, hard!
> I know that's only for the people that had insurance  them already but it's a start.




One of my coworkers got a packet in the mail yesterday with all of the information about the advisors.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 23, 2014)

seasonal said:


> Taken from the article posted earlier in the thread.   http://www.abullseyeview.com/2014/01/talking-health-care-with-evp-of-human-resources-jodee-kozlak/
> 
> 
> *Will Target be limiting hours to team members as a result of the change in benefits? *
> ...



To Target:


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## sher (Jan 23, 2014)

If your expenses are all your own and you're not supporting anyone else in your household and vice versa, you're the only person in your "household" as far as government assistance is concerned. I live with my family, but I'm responsible for my own groceries and such, so I receive food stamps as a single person. When I first got the food stamps, I wasn't even paying any rent to my mom and I still qualified.

If you still don't get subsidies, and the insurance options are more than 8% (I think that's the number) of your income, you won't be penalized for not having insurance. Still, you won't be insured, so that's not even a real bright side.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2014)

Bottom line is that this whole thing is a failure.  You knew it was a failure before it was even proven to be a failure.  This whole thing was designed by the insurance companies to increase their profits while giving favors i.e. deals, stocks, discounts, whatever to the wonderful politicians in D.C. which end screwing up peasants and minions like us that work at amazing Target.  Personally, I think Obama and his wife should be forced to be on Obamacare.  I think all people in the House, Senate, and anyone in Obama's administration should have to sign up for Obamacare.  No excuses or special treatment for them.  If we have to suffer, they should as well.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 23, 2014)

Jackswastedlife99 said:


> Bottom line is that this whole thing is a failure.  You knew it was a failure before it was even proven to be a failure.  This whole thing was designed by the insurance companies to increase their profits while giving favors i.e. deals, stocks, discounts, whatever to the wonderful politicians in D.C. which end screwing up peasants and minions like us that work at amazing Target.  Personally, I think Obama and his wife should be forced to be on Obamacare.  I think all people in the House, Senate, and anyone in Obama's administration should have to sign up for Obamacare.  No excuses or special treatment for them.  If we have to suffer, they should as well.



All government employees and even the president has to go through the exchange.


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## Flow Trainer (Jan 23, 2014)

i missed the cutoff by .11 hours. That equates to about 36 minutes per week. 31 hours short over the course of a year. Time I could have easily worked IF I had known this was coming. That is what seems SO unfair to me. Target could have given us notice so that those of us so close to meeting the 32 hour average could have made it. I will have to go without insurance because I can not afford what I have found. I have always worked hard and gone beyond what was expected. No more. Ever.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 23, 2014)

I got insurance through my 2nd job. Ck with your family services dept in your city or county agency, they may be able help you.


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## SlapHappy (Jan 23, 2014)

I haven't said much about this but it's time.

I'm one of those people who needed and greatly appreciated Spot's insurance. In fact, a couple of my family members desperately need it. I missed the average hour minimum by such a small amount that it's sickening and very sad. Like others have said, had I known this was coming....

What bothers me the most is this: over the past few years the "perks" (if you can call them that) of working at Spot have been slowly taken away. I've stayed because I really like my job, believed in the company values, and needed the insurance. I still like my job but no longer share a good number of Spot's values and will soon be without insurance. Those last two simply won't work for me.

I'm actively seeking another job and as soon as I find one, I'm out. I wish I could say I feel bad about this but I don't. My loyalty to the company had been deserved and somewhat appreciated but those days are gone and soon I will be, also.


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## boredguy (Jan 23, 2014)

So I average well over 31.5 hours, even though I'm not technically a full time team member.  My question is, if for whatever I dip below that 31.5 line, am I know longer eligible for insurance?  Or since I'm going to be over when they change it, I'll always be eligible no matter what?


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## Retail Girl (Jan 23, 2014)

If your yearly average for all of 2013 was over 31.5, they will reclassify you as full-time and you have the opportunity for health insurance for the year.  At the end of the year, they will again average everyone's hours.  Those that are again considered full-time (should be 30 hours according to the ACA next year, but who the hell knows with Spot), will have the opportunity to again sign up for insurance.  Those who were full-time this year but let their hours drop, so their average is too low will be fed to the marketplace.


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## redeye58 (Jan 23, 2014)

Kinda like a video game: seeing if you've gotten enough tokens to play next time.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 23, 2014)

More like a slot machine where the odds are NOT in your favor.


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## sher (Jan 24, 2014)

If the gov says 30 hours = full time and that full time employees should get insurance, how can they use 31.5? How does this make sense? I'm not at 30 hours either way, but I don't understand how they can do this to people averaging 30-31.49 hours?


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2014)

I hear ya on how Target has been taking away perks in recent years.  Their greed is astounding.  They want to make as much money as they can while spending the least amount of money.  I don't want to hear "it's retail".  When I hear people say that, I just want to say "have you ever worked in retail" or "these are human beings we are talking about".  Yeah, there is a lot of apathy at Target stores but can you blame team members for being that way?  Team members are the engine of the store in my opinion.  ETLs and TLs are basically babysitters that get paid to sign stuff, watch people, and unlock/lock doors.  I am a person, you're a person, that person over there is a person, and I should be treated like a person.  Lulz, Flight of the Conchords.


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## sher (Jan 24, 2014)

According to a quick/dirty google search, Target will be fined if they don't offer insurance to those people between 30 and 32


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## neversaynever (Jan 24, 2014)

At my current income... My premium for a silver plan is expect to be 91% of my income, with a max out of pocket that is 4000 higher than my income (no expansion, no subsidies).

Going bronze is expected to cost me only 74% of my income.

I will stick with my medically needy Medicaid that covers me 100% after $600 in a month....


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## neversaynever (Jan 24, 2014)

Oh and, my daughter has insane medical expenses.... It's better for me to be "poor" at this point so she gets full coverage. If she was on her dads private coverage we'd have major problems (one of her meds is $30k a year) reaching their limits that don't want to cover such things.


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## SlapHappy (Jan 24, 2014)

sher said:


> According to a quick/dirty google search, Target will be fined if they don't offer insurance to those people between 30 and 32



Perhaps the fine is less than the cost of providing insurance to all. That wouldn't surprise me at all.


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## buliSBI (Jan 24, 2014)

*Question:* With TM health benefits being cut, are stores now trying their best to schedule TMs less or keep TMs from picking up shifts in order to keep them from getting up above the 32 hour cut off?


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## RhettB (Jan 24, 2014)

buliSBI said:


> *Question:* With TM health benefits being cut, are stores now trying their best to schedule TMs less or keep TMs from picking up shifts in order to keep them from getting up above the 32 hour cut off?



Sales are down, more so than usual for this time of year.  Hours being cut will be hard to correlate at this time.  I would not put it past them to hire more TMs to spread out the hours that are there though to keep the averages down.


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## dragon80 (Jan 24, 2014)

If you are single and make under $15,000 a year you should qualify for free healthcare from the Government.


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## sigma7 (Jan 24, 2014)

Ah, the icing on the cake: all the "Enroll in benefits today!" Stickers that just got plastered all over clerical. 

:facepalm:


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 24, 2014)

dragon80 said:


> If you are single and make under $15,000 a year you should qualify for free healthcare from the Government.



Unless you live in a state that didn't expand medicaid.


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## doxie71 (Jan 24, 2014)

sigma7 said:


> Ah, the icing on the cake: all the "Enroll in benefits today!" Stickers that just got plastered all over clerical.
> 
> :facepalm:



Haven't been in today, but got my "Enroll in benefits" pamphlet in the mail today.


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## sher (Jan 24, 2014)

According to the thing I read (which wasn't even a great source, so take with a grain of salt), the fine is per employee... and not just the ones who weren't offered insurance.

I just found out I get to stay on my mom's insurance until the last day of the year, doesn't end on my birthday like I previously thought. So, I have to find a job with benefits by then.


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## Bananas Foster (Jan 24, 2014)

For those of you posing the 30 hour question, I also mentioned that on here a couple of days ago.  After talking to a few reliable sources (people NOT associated with Target), that aspect of the law is not being enforced until 2015.  It is technically the law currently, in 2014 to offer insurance to those 30 hours or more, but they will not be penalized for not complying THIS year. However, those of you who are at a 30-31 hour average and really want to keep your Target insurance, I would encourage you to pursue legal counsel on that.


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## RhettB (Jan 24, 2014)

Bananas Foster said:


> For those of you posing the 30 hour question, I also mentioned that on here a couple of days ago.  After talking to a few reliable sources (people NOT associated with Target), that aspect of the law is not being enforced until 2015.  It is technically the law currently, in 2014 to offer insurance to those 30 hours or more, but they will not be penalized for not complying THIS year. However, those of you who are at a 30-31 hour average and really want to keep your Target insurance, I would encourage you to pursue legal counsel on that.



Great way for the company to dodge a bullet.


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## bab5crusade (Jan 24, 2014)

I just got my letter from the health exchange. I found out we make too much money to have medicaid, so we have to go through the exchange. My state thinks that my income is able to help pay for my wife's insurance. So the government is just going to throw us a bone of 135 bucks to help pay premiums. That still doesn't help with the costs. It's much cheaper just to add my wife to Taget's HSA account when open enrollment opens. 

Target are liers saying that workers will find cheaper coverage through the exchange.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 24, 2014)

So they aren't going to follow the law simply because there is no consequence to them for it. Real classy. I suppose they would be okay with us taking short cuts and such when it comes to our work if there is no consequence to us for it, right?


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2014)

I laughed at the cute brochure that Target sent in the mail about open enrollment and health care plans.  The part about dropping insurance for part time team members made laugh.  It said that team members may find more affordable plans under the ACA.  I loved how Target used "may".  LMAO, just doing that to get themselves off the hook.


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## myusername (Jan 25, 2014)

> Therefore, Target has dedicated substantial resources to guide our team through every step of the process. First, to help offset the inconvenience of this transition, Target will provide U.S. stores’ part-time team members who are currently enrolled in Target’s health coverage and who are losing access to that coverage a $500 cash payment.



http://www.abullseyeview.com/2014/01/talking-health-care-with-evp-of-human-resources-jodee-kozlak/

Does anyone know anything about this? Seems too good to be true to me.


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## commiecorvus (Jan 25, 2014)

myusername said:


> > Therefore, Target has dedicated substantial resources to guide our team through every step of the process. First, to help offset the inconvenience of this transition, Target will provide U.S. stores’ part-time team members who are currently enrolled in Target’s health coverage and who are losing access to that coverage a $500 cash payment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have yet to hear what the process is for getting the $500 or the insurance counseling.
Anybody tried to avail themselves on Spot for these and if so how did it turn out?


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## neversaynever (Jan 25, 2014)

One of the ladies at our store called and set up an appointment for next week. 

I am a bit worried because she, and another cashier, both insist that they are going to get subsidies, that that has nothing to do with medicaid eligibility and expansion - and that Target and the Govt have worked it out.

I hope they do - both are under 5 years from being 65


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## commiecorvus (Jan 25, 2014)

neversaynever said:


> One of the ladies at our store called and set up an appointment for next week.
> 
> I am a bit worried because she, and another cashier, both insist that they are going to get subsidies, that that has nothing to do with medicaid eligibility and expansion - and that Target and the Govt have worked it out.
> 
> I hope they do - both are under 5 years from being 65



Yea, me too.


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## 3LetterDevil (Jan 26, 2014)

I'm soooo confused....I got an enrollment packet at work that is saying I'm eligible, even though my avg is <31.5 hours??? Not that I'm going to take it, but WTF???

Oh, and I would't hold my breath for that $500....I'm STILL waiting for the $25/50 "bonus" for doing the health screening back in what, October or whenever it was? Even called on it and was told I did everything necessary and "it would be on its way soon"....mmmkay.....


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## The Dude Abides (Jan 26, 2014)

tgtcpht said:


> I'm soooo confused....I got an enrollment packet at work that is saying I'm eligible, even though my avg is <31.5 hours??? Not that I'm going to take it, but WTF???
> 
> Oh, and I would't hold my breath for that $500....I'm STILL waiting for the $25/50 "bonus" for doing the health screening back in what, October or whenever it was? Even called on it and was told I did everything necessary and "it would be on its way soon"....mmmkay.....



I got mine two weeks later, you must have done something wrong.

The $500 bonus is legit and will come for those affected by being added to one of their paychecks in February. That $500 will not be taxable income either.


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## slinesslave1 (Jan 26, 2014)

i have been with spot for many years i started off in softlines went on to be a specialist in 2 areas and now i am like a floater i do plano when there is hours ( we already have to many people in plano as it is and i set tun in tuesday) i have to supliment hours by checking the swap log books.

i qualify for low income health care from my state i know my hours will never average 32+ i can remember as far back as up to 2011 everyone was still getting hours or at least 32 stores were super busy during the day and on weekdays there was always work for us it kinda seems like after pfresh was added to our store in 2011 things started to change. and then when 2012 came things got worse drops in hours sales down


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## Retail Girl (Jan 26, 2014)

Yeah, I bet the IRS won't agree with that last statement! (Unless Spot is picking up all the taxes for the employees).

I got my gift cards in the mail fairly soon after taking the assessments...one came sooner than the other...and the voided check with the tax information came in December.


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## redandkhaki (Jan 26, 2014)

being a TL the no insurance doesn't affect me but I can't continue to work in a place who values their employees so little. My store handled this very well and at our next TL meeting we are going through which team members use the insurance and how to assure they remain above the 31.5 hours. Not many people in our store actually use the insurance so this won't actually be hard. 

I am one of the lucky ones where my partner makes enough money and has a good enough job that mine doesn't matter much. My money is spending money for us but I can't continue to go to work for a company who treats people so poorly and put a smile on my face to my Team Members and try to assure them that every thing will be ok when I know it's probably a lie. 

I started the job search the day I found out about this and hope to be gone within 6 months. I hope that's not just wishful thinking!


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jan 26, 2014)

R & k, you are true.


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## JustJoe (Jan 26, 2014)

I went through my state's ACA site and I will be paying less per month for better coverage than my PT plan. Of course I'm wondering what will happen once cross the 32 hour threshold (should happen in the next couple of months).


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## kingpin003 (Jan 26, 2014)

Target calculates average hours on a yearly basis(in January), so going over 32 in a couple months will have no effect unless you want to try to be FT next year and get target insurance then.


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## Retail Girl (Jan 27, 2014)

Yep, your part time status is set in stone until this time next year.


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2014)

If Obamacare had been in place last year and I could have just paid the fine which I think is 100 to 200 dollars(not 100 percent sure what it is), I would have saved about 800 because I wouldn't have wonderful Target insurance being taken out of my check.  It's kinda sad because I have never used the health insurance I get from awesome Target.  I only get the insurance in case of an emergency.  I do use the dental plan because I like to get teeth cleanings but the dental plan is dirt cheap compared to the health insurance.


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## Dying Sun (Jan 28, 2014)

GlobalJ said:


> Formina Sage said:
> 
> 
> > daninnj said:
> ...



someone get him outta there hes killing us slowly but surely


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2014)

So what's the deal with the HSA and HRA accounts?  What does it mean by Target won't be adding any money to them?  Does that mean you will have insurance but not really have insurance?


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## neversaynever (Feb 2, 2014)

I"ve yet to run into a part-time employee at our store that was NOT using the insurance. This has been horrid on everyone in our store...


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## RhettB (Feb 2, 2014)

You will still get the HRA $$$, but all of the $$$ will be from things you do to earn them.  The total contribution will be the same.   So you'll have to do the health assessment, biometric screening, and others to get your $$$.  In years past you had a initial company deposit, then you had to do the earn actions.


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## calimero (Feb 2, 2014)

I do not agree with giving prefered treatment( more hours)  to the tm who need the insurance ! 
Some TM might not need the insurance ( for whatever reasons,they are still under 26 and covered by parents,or ex husband has insurance etc ) but still need over 32 hr to make ends meet ! I know a few of them like that !


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## Hardlinesmaster (Feb 2, 2014)

Some of my tm's are 50 plus. They need our insurance.


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## Cel (Feb 2, 2014)

Hell I'm 28 and I need the insurance once mine runs out in June. Without it I run out of my anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds and fast fun & friendly becomes slow plodding and anxious >_>


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## calimero (Feb 2, 2014)

Everybody need insurance ,I am not denying that,but it doesn't mean other TM do not need the hours as much ,either! 
Penalizing tm who have insurance outside target is not the way to go!


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## commiecorvus (Feb 3, 2014)

Why does it have to b one way or the other         @calimero ?
By letting Spot set the terms (they will get your hours), you have just allowed them to set you against each other when you should working together.

Stand together,  demand the hours you need to pay your bills and get the insurance you need.
Don't let Spot pit you against each other.


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## calimero (Feb 3, 2014)

I am one of the lucky one,I do not need my income to survive( I even give my hours to a certain TM who actually needs it, when she asks ) ,my husband work for a union job  and has all the benefits and more ,but I see what this whole mess is doing at my store,Tm who just fall below the threshold of hours,others who just need more than 32 hrs to survive,hours getting cut etc!
Only giving enough hours to the one who need to keep their insurance is not the way to go ( I was referring to another post where TL would talk in a meeting to see who needs the hours to keep their insurance),how about the others?

My stl informed us that they would not cater to the tm who need insurance,they would be fair by spreading the hours around!

I am from somewhere in Europe .... ,where everyone has insurance ( socialized medicine??? ),everybody get the same one,I am baffled with the anti insurance in the US and do not believe everything you hear,I never had to wait for an appointment ,doctors go on house calls ,but that is another story !


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## commiecorvus (Feb 3, 2014)

> I am one of the lucky one,I do not need my income to survive( I even give my hours to a certain TM who actually needs it, when she asks ) ,my husband work for a union job and has all the benefits and more ,but I see what this whole mess is doing at my store,Tm who just fall below the threshold of hours,others who just need more than 32 hrs to survive,hours getting cut etc!
> Only giving enough hours to the one who need to keep their insurance is not the way to go ( I was referring to another post where TL would talk in a meeting to see who needs the hours to keep their insurance),how about the others?
> 
> My stl informed us that they would not cater to the tm who need insurance,they would be fair by spreading the hours around!
> ...


@calimero

I'm glad you don't have to fight for hours and that you understand the value of having a union to give good insurance.

I also understand how this must be causing some major rifts in stores but you do understand that that those rifts are being created on purpose?
Spot wants there to be as much rivalry between the TMs so that they will ignore the fact that Spot is the one that caused the problem in the first place.

That STL who informed you they wouldn't cater to TMs who needed insurance is the worst kind of thug.
Fist of all because they are willing to set it in those kind of term when they clearly understood how desperate some of the people are and second because they obviously have every intention of making sure TM fall under the number of hours needed to qualify.

Your question about what why America is so anti single payer all come down to $$$$.
The insurance companies have a strangle hold on our medical care system, big business is happy to go along with it because they have millions invested in the system, and there are enough crazies that think changing it would be communism.


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## bab5crusade (Feb 3, 2014)

calimero said:
			
		

> I am from somewhere in Europe .... ,where everyone has insurance ( socialized medicine??? ),everybody get the same one,I am baffled with the anti insurance in the US and do not believe everything you hear,I never had to wait for an appointment ,doctors go on house calls ,but that is another story !









  You can blame nearly 100 years of anti-socialism for that. The capitalist class in America created an culture where they believe the free-market is fair. If you can't afford insurance you don't need insurance. Any government program to make things fair is un-American. You are suppose to work for your healthcare and not given it. Free healthcare is anti-liberty. True freedom is dieing from a treatable disease than getting help from the state. Also note there was a movement to create a system in the US after WWII. Due to the red scare. Many anti-communists claimed socialized medicine will lead America into communism. Also many insurance companies see socialized medicine as a threat to their profit making empires and created a strong campaign against socialized medicine.   Learn more:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_hegemony (How capitalists control culture to their will) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Coffee_Cup (Operation Coffee Cup where the AMA created anti-socialized medicine propaganda with Ronald Reagan's help)


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## calimero (Feb 3, 2014)

I am not from a communist country ,far from it! But I get it,money is king!!!! Lobbyist hold the cards!!! 
I went back home for a vacation  ,and my son broke his ankle,he had to have a plate and screws!! We were told at the Hspital that it would be expensive without insurance ,( since we are considered foreigners now) the out of pocket was roughly $200 ,I had to laugh !!! 

I know ,some TM were given less hours so they would lose their insurance ,while myself was getting a steady 36 plus hours ...

Can we change the mindset of Americans? Having an insurance is not being controlled by a governement,that it is not losing your rights ,that it is something that should have ? 

Rifts at target?  A daily occurence ....


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## konk (Feb 3, 2014)

I'm still waiting on the insurance specialist. Also have not had my one on one with HR, but she already said she wasn't an insurance expert, so she can have a one on one with herself.


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## Yoda (Feb 4, 2014)

Has it been confirmed that the $500 is coming on one of the February paychecks?  If so, does anyone know which one?  No one at our store wants to talk about this and you pretty much have to break their arm for them to even respond when you ask a question about it.


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## Johnparker1939 (Feb 4, 2014)

Let's see here... Target and the "rest" of the democrats vote Obama TWICE.... Knowing that they want every body to rely on the government "especially" health care... And then target cuts health care from there "part-time" employees... And.... All of there "tm" that are not "management" are in the "system" as "part-time".... Ain't that a bitch!


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## bab5crusade (Feb 4, 2014)

Johnparker1939 said:


> Let's see here... Target and the "rest" of the democrats vote Obama TWICE.... Knowing that they want every body to rely on the government "especially" health care... And then target cuts health care from there "part-time" employees... And.... All of there "tm" that are not "management" are in the "system" as "part-time".... Ain't that a bitch!



I sense no support of your fellow workers.


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## commiecorvus (Feb 4, 2014)

Johnparker1939 said:


> Let's see here... Target and the "rest" of the democrats vote Obama TWICE.... Knowing that they want every body to rely on the government "especially" health care... And then target cuts health care from there "part-time" employees... And.... All of there "tm" that are not "management" are in the "system" as "part-time".... Ain't that a bitch!



I'm completely missing your logic.
The chances are good that like most of this country, when it comes to Spot the people who run the company probably didn't vote for the President.
It's possible but unlikely.
When it comes to health care, I don't know how often I have to say this...
THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T RUN HEALTH CARE!

Except for the expanded Medicaid (that idiot Republican governors have been turning down the money for) and support for people who don't make enough to afford policies the government is not running things.
The insurance companies and big corporations are, which is why peoples policies are getting cancelled and their hours are getting cut.
The big mistake that was made was assuming that the businesses would act in a decent and honorable fashion.
That has been the President's problem all along, he assumes because he is a decent guy other people will be as well.


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## Target Annie (Feb 4, 2014)

I know two team members who were dropped from Target insurance, who don't make enough to get a subsidy, and don't qualify for Medicaid.


Sure, this is better.


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## commiecorvus (Feb 4, 2014)

Target Annie said:


> I know two team members who were dropped from Target insurance, who don't make enough to get a subsidy, and don't qualify for Medicaid.
> 
> 
> Sure, this is better.



Did they get their $500 and time with an insurance counselor to make sure that they could get insurance that would be comparable to what Spot kicked them off of?
They were promised that and they should bloody well hold Spot's feet to the fire.

This company is hoping people will just slink away but you just can't do that.
They are saving a ton of money by doing this unconscionable thing and the least we can do is make sure they stick to their word.

To say that the law is to blame for them acting like douchenozzles  is like blaming a assault victim for wearing a short skirt.
They deserve to be put in their place and told that we know what kind of crap they are pulling.

There are places that have information and help.
I put up one from Consumer Reports.
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?threads/a-good-place-for-insurance-information.7418/


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## Target Annie (Feb 4, 2014)

Yes they had their time with a counselor. I haven't received my $500 (payoff) yet, so I don't think they have either.

I think the money was supposed to be handed out later this month.

I heard a rumor that Target was getting $1000 for each team member they dropped who subsequently signed up for insurance elsewhere. Tell me it's not true, please.


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## commiecorvus (Feb 4, 2014)

Target Annie said:


> Yes they had their time with a counselor. I haven't received my $500 (payoff) yet, so I don't think they have either.
> 
> I think the money was supposed to be handed out later this month.
> 
> I heard a rumor that Target was getting $1000 for each team member they dropped who subsequently signed up for insurance elsewhere. Tell me it's not true, please.




I wouldn't be a bit surprised.
So the counselor just threw their hands up and said, "Sorry, we can't help you."?
WTF is that?
I thought it was their job to find insurance that matched what Spot offered for a comparable price.
If I was the one sitting at the table with them I wouldn't let them leave until they found me a policy.
It's their job, after all.


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## JustJoe (Feb 4, 2014)

Yoda said:


> Has it been confirmed that the $500 is coming on one of the February paychecks?  If so, does anyone know which one?  No one at our store wants to talk about this and you pretty much have to break their arm for them to even respond when you ask a question about it.



I asked my HR today and she said it would be issued off-cycle. For me, that would be either the 14th or 28th.

I didn't bother going through Spot's counseling and went directly through my state's exchange. Did open enrollment today and was able to up my dental and still come out lower than what I was paying for the PT plan.


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## Target Annie (Feb 4, 2014)

The counselor gave them the options, and the cost is 3 times higher than what this team member was paying with Target. It's not affordable when working a couple short shifts a week.


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## masterspot (Feb 5, 2014)

There really are no options in my case since I make too little.


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## Johnparker1939 (Feb 5, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> Johnparker1939 said:
> 
> 
> > Let's see here... Target and the "rest" of the democrats vote Obama TWICE.... Knowing that they want every body to rely on the government "especially" health care... And then target cuts health care from there "part-time" employees... And.... All of there "tm" that are not "management" are in the "system" as "part-time".... Ain't that a bitch!
> ...


Lol..... Where have you been the last two years... THE GOVERNMENT DOES CONTROL HEALTH CARE.... Lol... It is all part of the liberal agenda...  And Target supports the Democratic Party openly... It wants to force their employees out so they have to enroll into Obama care... This isn't really that hard to follow... And I do care for my coworkers... I would give the shirt of my back to any of them... But I can't help but to gloat when I know for a fact that 90% of the people in my store voted democrat and are now in a heap of turmoil because they are be forced out of the affordable Target health care and into an unaffordable Government healthcare plan!....


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## Retail Girl (Feb 5, 2014)

[mod]Stop. Now. This thread is NOT for debating the ACA or its effects. It is for support, information, and other thoughts related to this. This is the last warning I am giving.[/mod]

Damnit...how do I post in that pretty red/pink box?


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## Life201 (Feb 5, 2014)

Johnparker1939 said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > Johnparker1939 said:
> ...




http://shopyourpolitics.com/republican-leaning



> Target-  *Republican*
> 
> *Donations : $4,238,477  (1990-2012)*
> 
> ...


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## Life201 (Feb 5, 2014)

redandkhaki said:


> being a TL the no insurance doesn't affect me but I can't continue to work in a place who values their employees so little. My store handled this very well and at our next TL meeting we are going through which team members use the insurance and how to assure they remain above the 31.5 hours. Not many people in our store actually use the insurance so this won't actually be hard.
> 
> I am one of the lucky ones where my partner makes enough money and has a good enough job that mine doesn't matter much. My money is spending money for us but I can't continue to go to work for a company who treats people so poorly and put a smile on my face to my Team Members and try to assure them that every thing will be ok when I know it's probably a lie.
> 
> I started the job search the day I found out about this and hope to be gone within 6 months. I hope that's not just wishful thinking!




Best of luck to you in your search for a new job! 

You have a real integrity that is fast disappearing in America.


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## commiecorvus (Feb 5, 2014)

Target Annie said:


> The counselor gave them the options, and the cost is 3 times higher than what this team member was paying with Target. It's not affordable when working a couple short shifts a week.



Red state or blue?


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## Target Annie (Feb 5, 2014)

Democraticte="commiecorvus, post: 108613, member: 61"]





Target Annie said:


> The counselor gave them the options, and the cost is 3 times higher than what this team member was paying with Target. It's not affordable when working a couple short shifts a week.



Red state or blue?[/quote]
Demo


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## CartStryke (Feb 5, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> [mod]Stop. Now. This thread is NOT for debating the ACA or its effects. It is for support, information, and other thoughts related to this. This is the last warning I am giving.[/mod]
> 
> Damnit...how do I post in that pretty red/pink box?



I don't know about putting it in a special colored box, but you could always change the font color. That's what I do personally when I've modded elsewhere.


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## mrknownothing (Feb 5, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> [mod]Stop. Now. This thread is NOT for debating the ACA or its effects. It is for support, information, and other thoughts related to this. This is the last warning I am giving.[/mod]
> 
> Damnit...how do I post in that pretty red/pink box?



@Formina Sage, we need a little help here.


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## slinesslave1 (Feb 6, 2014)

unions have tried to get into target for years i remember one time unions tried to get into a store on the east coast. i remember our hr at the time having groups of people going into the conference room and having us watch a video on unions and telling us if a union rep came to this store you know what to do.


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## mrknownothing (Feb 6, 2014)

slinesslave1 said:


> unions have tried to get into target for years i remember one time unions tried to get into a store on the east coast. i remember our hr at the time having groups of people going into the conference room and having us watch a video on unions and telling us if a union rep came to this store you know what to do.



Sounds like the Valley Stream store a few years ago. When they had their union vote, Spot closed the store for "renovations."


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## Softlines Owns My Soul (Feb 6, 2014)

Johnparker1939 said:


> commiecorvus said:
> 
> 
> > Johnparker1939 said:
> ...



did you forget about the whole Target donated to Tom Emmer who was a GOP candidate who was openly anti-gay?  check your facts


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## Retail Girl (Feb 6, 2014)

And with that, we're done. If you have thoughts, comments or concerns about this issue that do not involve political debate, please start a new thread.


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