Recently reelected Congressman John Shimkus stopped by Culver’s in Effingham Thursday to meet with a representative from the National Association of Restaurants to discuss issues facing area eateries. According Robin Goracke, Director of Healthcare Policy for the Association, two new regulations from the Department of Labor could negatively impact local restaurants. She says that restaurant owners are concerned about how the new regulations could impact how they organize their labor.
The new standard in one of the regulations states that if one entity has “indirect control” over another’s employees, they could be considered joint employers. The new rule could impact restaurant franchisees, like Culver’s, by making them liable for a larger pool of employees that they wouldn’t have had before. Congressman Shimkus suggested that it’s this type of regulation that encouraged people to vote for, now President-Elect, Donald Trump.
Thursday’s discussion also included issues with the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, including significant penalties for incorrect paperwork filing. Shimkus says that it’s time for that law to be replaced.
Ultimately, Shimkus says that a new health care law would ideally give employers a chance to access markets and find coverage that fits their business and employees.