The SCORE 2015 Issue 1 | Página 19

part-time employees’ hours due to the 30 hour requirement. In addition to devising a legislative fix, I worked closely with the Obama Administration to develop a strategy to provide transition relief and flexibility for businesses, free from the threat of penalty as they implement, better understand, and lawmakers improve the ACA. The Obama Administration announced it would implement a year of transition for relief for businesses. Following this encouraging development, the Administration issued a final rule in 2014 that will help provide some relief to businesses by: • Delaying the employer responsibility payments until 2016 for businesses that employ between 50 and 99 people; and • Providing a transition policy for businesses with 100 or more employees and allowing them to avoid financial penalty so long as they cover at least 70 percent of their full-time employees in 2015 and 95 percent of their full-time workers in 2016 and beyond. Working with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, I believe that we can make the health care law work better for American families, employees and employers. However, it is critical that Congress address this issue and provide a longterm solution. I will continue to work with Sen. Collins to build support and advocate for this important issue because effective health care reform should provide Americans access to quality, affordable care, while also encouraging economic growth. Restaurants are job creators and help drive our economy; in fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry is our country’s second-largest private-sector employer and employs about 10 percent of the American workforce. As such, restaurant owners provide a valuable voice in the national economic policy conversation. As the economy continues to show signs of growth, we should be working with employers, like those in the restaurant industry, to encourage more job growth. One commonsense way we achieve this is by taking up the Forty Hours is Full Time Act in the Senate. S Meet Your Members of Congress Through Take advantage of this great opportunity to develop relationships with legislators and educate them on issues important to your business! FBS will: • Help arrange meetings with members of Congress in your restaurants • Provide talking points on key issues to help guide the conversation • Ensure you feel comfortable hosting the meeting 17 VP Legislative Affairs , 202-416-0270 [email protected] SCORE | 2015 Issue 1 THE For more information, contact Misty Chally