Got milk?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contains a few surprises. New FLSA section (29 U.S.C. 207(r)(1) requires employers employing 50 employees or more to provide "reasonable" unpaid breaks and a private space, other than a restroom, for mothers to express milk unless to do so would “impose an undue hardship by causing the employer significant difficulty or expense.”

HCR timeline

The SEIU Blog has a timeline for when provisions of HCR take effect.

HCR 2

David Frum again makes sense noting the issues on which the GOP can regroup on healthcare, and the ones that will continue to destroy all possibility of either civilized discourse or reform. Frum is particularly on point about employer provided insurance as being the original sin of healthcare, as well as fines on employers who discontinue healthcare being a lousy solution.

HCR

We've stayed away from posting about healthcare, because until now, there was little definite about anything in the package. Now there is. This political football surely will affect employers and employees for years to come. We're not sure that the final product will be nearly as unpopular as the sausage making appeared to be. For one, there are some immediate and concrete benefits to a wide range of employees. Being able to carry your college graduate, but unemployed child on a parents' plan to age 27 for one. We suspect there will be many people realizing concrete, immediate unexpected benefits from the plan. CNN's poll showing only 39% favoring the bill and 59% against, is misleading. When broken down as to why people opposed the bill only 43% opposed it because it was too liberal, and 13% said they opposed it because it was not liberal enough. Now, while substantial confusion remains concerning the substantive provisions, 52% polled either out right favored the bill or thought it did not go far enough. Remember President Obama received less than 53% of the vote in 2008. There is a very real prospect that HCR will grow in popularity as its provisions become known, and the hysterical posturing by opponents does not come to pass. Even conservatives are pessimistic about riding healthcare to electoral wins. For those of us who believe in limited government, and personal responsibility, its easy to be concerned for the future. By abdicating responsibility and demonizing reform rather than participating in it, Republicans inherit responsibility for many aspects of this bill, which could have been made better by reasonable attempts to compromise. The party of Lincoln, T. Roosevelt and Reagan has been overrun by what David Frum calls the Republican entertainment industry. Long term, the opinions of that industry, of Beck, Limbaugh, Savage, and their ilk will continue to weaken the Republican brand and diminish the broad appeal necessary to be a national party.