Affordable?

I don't usually talk politics; I just mostly disagree with everything the politicians are doing. (Yes, I do pay attention and I do vote.) But we got some news last Friday that bears mentioning—in fact I mentioned it on facebook, and I'm repeating it here:

"Ya gotta love the AffordableCare Act. Bruce just got a letter informing him that he can't work as a substitute teacher for more than twenty-nine hours a week or he will get fired by Granite School District. Under this wonderful law GSD will  have to give him healthcare benefits if he works more than 29 hours.

"He gets called in to substitute every day—which doesn't pay the bills, but is better than nothing. (Yes, he is still looking—and applying to get—any better job.) Now we will be forced to give up twenty-five percent of that income. How many of you can afford to give up a quarter of your monthly pay?

"Well. Bummer for us.

"But consider this as well: If a teacher goes on maternity leave (or broken ankle leave) for six to ten weeks—it happens—then the school can't have one person sub for her class while she's gone because that sub would be required to work more than 29 hours in a week. Does this mean the school has to hire two subs who switch off? The district is already short on teachers and substitutes—how will that really work out? And, the switch-off game makes for a chaotic classroom and a headache for the teachers and administration.

"Wonderful."

My friend Nicole also substitutes on a fairly regular basis (although she doesn't depend on this for her living.)  Here is what she had to say about it:

"I just received a letter from the district that reads, "due to the new Affordable Care Act and its budget implications it is necessary for the District to limit all hourly employees to no more than 29 hours per week"... This means that no substitute teacher can work more than three days per week.  (I don't know anyone, other than me as a stay-at-home mom, who would work for $11 an hour for a maximum of 28 hours per week, IF you get called, and they require a bachelors degree. If I weren't staying home I'd go get a real job! I would think there would be a mass exodus of good substitute teachers and you would just be left with the creepers—you know which ones I'm talking about.  My daughter had the stained t-shirt and sweats guy once  —ew!)

"Here's a real scenario...A few weeks ago a teacher asked me to sub because her husband was dying. Under the new plan I would go in for 3 days, another sub would come in for the last 2. Then, the teacher was out for another week, so I would go back in for 3 days and the other sub would come for 2 more - because that's not confusing for the students. WHAT THE?

"Oh well, it doesn't affect me financially, it just makes zero sense and there is very little 'continuity' for students—another term the District was big on for awhile. I wonder what a WOMAN does when she leaves on maternity?!  'Class, Mrs. G will be coming in on M, W, F. All the work she does with you will be pointless because on T, Th the greasy sweats guy will be here letting you watch movies. See you all in six weeks!'

"I'm going with not best for teachers, not best for students, and not best for women on this one."

Right now Granite School District has about five missing teachers a day with no substitutes available; the school Bruce subbed at yesterday said they'd been having one of their secretaries sit with a class. He had been hoping to do a long-term sub job starting in a week or two, for a teacher who is having a baby.  In word, the state has already made that nearly impossible with a (stupid) law that requires schools to hire certified teachers for long-term sub jobs.  Are you kidding?  That's not going to happen because if you are a certified teacher you are going to get a job as a teacher and not as a substitute-teacher.  I mean, you want to get the most pay for your time, right?  Still, the schools know this, and they know there are no repurcussions for hiring a regular long-term sub. They're not supposed to do that, but they often do it because the don't have a choice—they need someone to take care of that class. 

  
But now, thanks to "Affordable Care" they really can't do that. In my family not only can we not afford health care, but soon we won't be able to afford our house payment either.  Bruce and I lose. The school district loses, the schools lose, the teachers lose, and the kids lose.  Gotta love politics.