The KGB Oracle Forums General Public Discussion (PUBLIC) The Pub THE TRUTH about the ground zero "Mosque"

Since we are talking Obamacare now, and its potential side effects, allow me to share with you the way it will affect me, and several others (either in my position or employed by people in my position).

I own two businesses, both of which employ people. In 2014, should I have to replace a staff member or expand and hire another, it will be mandatory for me to provide health care upon the first day of employment.
No probationary period, to make sure the employee is even worthwhile and reliable. No room to make benefits a negotiation point when talking compensation with a prospective employee, and worst of all, should I, after 6 months, decide that its "just not working out" and terminate the employee, I will be reponsible for contributing to their COBRA for the following year.
To further that, if I decide that it is in my businesses interests to change insurance carriers, if the benefits or premiums change even slightly (for better or for worse), I am legally obligated to switch to the so called public "option" that doesnt really exist, but one is legally required to switch to when any policy changes are made.

Or, instead of paying $5000 a year or better per employee for contributions to coverage, I could just take advantage of the horrible employment situation and refuse to provide any coverage at all, at the cost of $750 in fines each year, per employee.


This is all without talking about the "end of life counseling", or the fact that it truly goes against the very definition of freedom to force people individually to purchase a product. If it was not government doing it, it would be called "racketeering", "assault" and "extortion". Possibly it would be called "slavery" in extreme cases. Think about it.. Some fool points a gun at you, and tells you "buy X. If you do not, you will be sent a bill for it anyway, if you do not pay the bill, we will kidnap you and hold you against your will, if you resist the kidnapping, we will kill you".

Those extreme items aside, the reality is that I am currently restructuring my businesses. No more W-2 employees for me. Nope, every person working my Inn and running insurance claims for me is quickly becoming an independent contractor. They can pay their own social "security" taxes, they can plan their own 401k's, SARSUPs and Roth IRA's. They can pay for their own health care coverage.

From a business standpoint, I provided these benefits and contributions as a matter of keeping employee loyalty, improving morale, and staying competitive in the employment arena. Paying your people decently and making sure they know they are being taken care of creates long term, competent employees, and ultimately saves money in the long run by cutting out costly mistakes and training expenditures.

However, I absolutely refuse to be made a slave to my employees. I refuse to be forced to provide anything. My employees are working for me of their own free will, and if I do not keep the same freedoms, I will close the goddamned doors in a heartbeat. Stating that I am morally and legally obligated to spend X amount of time or money in the service of another is saying that I am a slave (at the very least a temporary one).

My decision to offer specific wages and/or benefits are exactly that, my decision.