Employers Push for Tighter Definition of Full-Time Employee Under Health Law

Trying to escape some daunting new expenses

An iconic American brand has come out against a key Obamacare provision requiring some companies to expand their health insurance coverage.

Dunkin' Brands is lobbying the government to change their definition of full-time work from at least 30 hours per week to 40 or more hours per week, their CEO Nigel Travis has told the Financial Times. Successfully doing so would mean Dunkin' and other companies would have fewer workers to insure under President Barack Obama's health care reform law, which mandates that big employers give health care coverage to all full-time employees and their dependents, or face a penalty.

In response to the Obamacare mandate, which applies to all employers with at least 50 full-time workers, numerous firms have said they would cut their employee hours to avoid paying for their health care coverage. A majority of companies expect their health care costs to rise because of Obamacare and plan to shift health care costs to employees in response, according to a survey last year by Mercer.