Job Seeker Blog - Spark Hire

How the Affordable Care Act Impacts Your Job Search

A perhaps overlooked impact of the controversial piece of legislation that is the Affordable Care Act may be its impact on job seekers. It may not seem pertinent to your job search, but the Affordable Care Act does impact how employers will view current job openings–directly impacting your job search.

A recent Washington Post article looks at the impact the Affordable Care Act has on one particular group of job seekers: temporary workers. As a way around the law–requiring companies to offer insurance to employees–employers may turn to temporary staffing agencies to fill voids, rather than pay for health benefits in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. The article mentions a school district in Dothan, Ala. that decided to hire substitute teachers through an agency in order to avoid paying the for the sub’s health care benefits.

If you’re a job seeker looking for some temporary work, this news might just make your day. For the remainder of job seekers, the Affordable Care Act poses a threat to growing job rates as employers find ways to skirt the law. As economist Susan N. Houseman said, “You regulate something and people will always try to find a way around the regulation.”

Additionally, a loophole in last year’s legislation allows for temp staffing agencies to avoid paying health benefits to employees as well. This leaves an estimated 3 million job seekers working over 30 hours a week in temp positions without health benefits.

Since the Affordable Care Act has yet to take effect, there is no definitive answer on how the legislation will impact job seekers. According to the article, when Massachusetts passed similar legislation a few years back, temp hires increased six fold against the national average. If similar patterns occur, there is no doubt job seekers will be impacted by the Affordable Care Act.

Job seekers, are you concerned about the impact of the Affordable Care Act on employer hiring practice? Or, maybe for those under 26, are you excited about increased temp options as you weed out what you want to do with your career?

How will the Affordable Care Act impact you? Weigh in below!

IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by Leader Nancy Pelosi

Jen Schiller

Jen works as a Marketing Project Manager for a restaurant, a kitchen assistant for cooking classes, helps with database management, does some freelance writing, and more. She received her B.A. from the University of Maryland in Government & Politics in 2011. Currently, she resides in the Washington, D.C. area and is an avid sports fan.

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