Kudos to two companies for doing the right thing on benefits

And the big surprise is that the lead company is Wal-Mart. That's right, cheap-ass Wal-Mart has decided to offer healthcare benefits to same-sex couples and domestic partners. This is a monumental policy change, and a real game changer. If Wal-Mart will do it, why won't any cheap-ass company?

http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/27/news/companies/wa … ?hpt=hp_t2

And then, huge applause for Starbucks, for putting the needs of employees first instead of the demands of accountants.

Starbucks is bucking the trend by keeping top-notch health insurance for its employees and not worrying about paying the Obamacare "Cadillac tax."

Good for them. Too many companies are overreacting and screwing their employees in the process. This includes mine. Because they are so afraid of having to pay extra, they have drastically cut our benefits while, of course, charging us more for them. Thanks a freaking lot. Do me a favor and just lay me off.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/27/news/companies/st … ?hpt=hp_t2
By BearinFW | 08/28/2013 04:18 AM | 5 comments
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  • Oh yeah, I will definitely check out the exchanges. I want to see what they have to offer compared to the accountant-scrubbed plans my company is offering.
    BearinFW 08/29/2013 10:17 PM
  • BearFW--I know that the insurance thing is a drag. By all means, sign up on the exchange--you're under no obligation to buy (obviously), but it least you'll see what options there are. I'm a little more positive on this and I bet that you'll qualify for a subsidy--the threshold for those who will not receive one is surprisingly high. Too, the more people that at a minimum that sign up on the exchange in their states will be positive in bringing in more competition.
    furball 08/29/2013 12:41 PM
  • Pretty good stuff from the Onion a number of years ago. I'd say Miley has bought herself another year or two though with the VMA "performance."

    To tie back into Walmart, Miley's outfit at the VMA's did make her look like one of those "Walmart people" pictures you see on the Net.

    And to TopDad and Jackal, yes, unfortunately, parasitic companies that have zero regard for their employees are using the ACA as an excuse to either cut back on healthcare benefits or to eliminate them altogether. It really sucks, but I will say this: the ACA is going to let employees know which side of the fence their employers fall on, if they had any doubts before.

    My company said we do have the option to go through the Health Exchange if we'd rather, but my guess is I'll probably make *just* enough to not qualify for a subsidy, and therefore the exchange insurance will be unaffordable. Call me skeptical, but the sad reality is that none of this stuff is ever designed for the benefit of the middle class.
    BearinFW 08/28/2013 05:58 PM
  • I'm glad for the employees at WM, it's a start. Still, I won't shop there. Howard Schultz, for all his quirkiness, has always been employee minded, and a big advocate of the ACA, so it's no surprise there.

    On the subject of Miley, I found this on the HP today--looks like The Onion knew what was coming:
    furball 08/28/2013 01:07 PM
  • sorry, you're not going to get any interest in a story like this, on here, unless it includes miley cyrus dancing around in her underwear.
    rae121452 08/28/2013 06:35 AM