In March 2010, Congress passed the Healthcare Reform Act also known as Obamacare. Not sure why Obama care was created? Here’s a reference from President Barack Obama from whitehouse.gov “That’s what the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, is all about – making sure that all of us, and all our fellow citizens, can count on the security of health care when we get sick; that the work and dignity of every person are acknowledged and affirmed.” (“Remarks by the President on the Affordable Care Act.” Http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/01/remarks-president-affordable-care-act. The White House, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 5 Nov. 2014.)
Since early 2014, millions of people have enrolled in qualified healthcare plans. Enrollment has helped lower the unemployment rate since the recession started by creating new jobs. According to The United States Labor Statistics in September 2014 the unemployment rate was down 5.9%. Down 3.8% since the reform started back in 2010. To stay under this limit many companies are now reaching out to staffing agencies.
More employers are hiring temporary staff in 2014
Many things such as the new change in healthcare have called for more temporary workers than ever before. Did you know that temporary employment added 19,700 new jobs in September and averaged 18,000 jobs per month in 2014? One reason why most businesses are looking to hire more temporary workers is that businesses can try before they buy. Workers can also get to see if they actually like the job before they make the commitment to it. According to The Palmer Forecast, the demand for temp workers in The United States is expected to increase by 8.7% in the 4th quarter. With an increase in temp work in the 3rd quarter the unemployment rate is expected to go even lower.
How Staffing agencies help you avoid ACA mandates
Staffing firms are such a cost-effective way to save your business money not only with hiring costs but benefit costs too. Some staffing agencies offer benefits to their employees. This is huge for your company! Let’s say you have 45 full-time employees and your business’s growing so you’re looking to hire 7 more full-time people. If you do, this means that you’re now mandated to offer health benefits. However, if you allow a staffing agency that already offers benefits to provide those 7 people to you, you aren’t forking out the healthcare expenses and your employees are still covered. It’s a win-win for you!
Here’s why you’ll get the employees you need in order to increase productivity in your workplace. Those employees will receive benefits from being employed through the staffing agency. And most importantly, that money stays in your pocket. And most companies know how high the costs can be to provide health care benefits. Now just in case, you’re curious let’s briefly discuss what happens if you don’t provide those healthcare benefits to your staff. If you fail to provide benefits to your 50+ full-time employees you’ll have to pay a penalty of $2,000 per employee. Who has extra money laying around to throw down the drain? Nobody right? So make the decision to partner with a staffing agency.
Staffing agencies help companies that are part of the ACA too
It’s evident that the Affordable Care Act has contributed to the need for more temporary jobs across the nation. It’s also evident that businesses are making the direct changes needed in order to follow the Affordable Care Act protocols. This leads us to our last topic of discussion –jobs created by the ACA! Like other insurance plans, Obamacare has an open enrollment period. During this time, many agencies will be working hard to help people enroll in plans and to service those who have already enrolled.
The need for these services to be provided has created many jobs. Some states, such as MD, hire Navigators and Assisters to enroll those interested. In addition, jobs have been created to handle all calls about healthcare plans. Most of the jobs that have been created are temporary to cover the open enrollment period however, some are permanent to provide ongoing assistance. Either way, agencies are turning to staff firms to provide them with qualified staff right away. And by using a staffing agency, companies can focus on servicing the public while allowing the staffing firm to handle all that goes with recruiting qualified staff.
With the ACA in full swing, it might be time to make some changes in your business. Are you ready to get started on your business’s success?
If so, contact us today to get help from an experienced staffing agency. We have an amazing Job Search page that makes it easy to both share and find open positions. You can learn more about our staffing services here. We look forward to hearing from you!
