# ACA, and the bastages who run the local franchise of "Red Robin" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 4, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359 "2013-10-04T15:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/21 "2013-10-04T17:04:15Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > At the same time, the idea that we could eliminate or federalize all private health insurance was a non-starter. Compromise was the only way to make any progress at all. Agreed. But one fine day, comrade… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/22 "2013-10-04T17:07:41Z")
I don’t like Red Robin because I prefer something\* less\* than a cup of mayonnaise on my burger. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/23 "2013-10-04T17:09:17Z")
Just as long as they keep their bottomless fries. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/24 "2013-10-04T17:30:07Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > It wasn’t overlooked, it’s part of the process. Companies think they can save money this way. But it takes quality workers to make a profit, you really can’t run a good store if you have high employee turnover. So sooner or later one chain will start re-hiring at full time hours and with benefits, and once they do other places will match them to try to keep up. Of course there’s a downside: wages will stay flat for a while. But even that will bubble up through the process and we’ll come out of this (ACA) better off than we were going in. (Is my sincere opinion.) That sounds suspiciously like Trickle Down Theory - it sounds great on paper, but in the real world, companies are quite content to be jerks and take advantage of their employees and be short-sighted about profits and things like employee turnover. I’d like to think that businesses would get it, that they’re ultimately shooting themselves in the foot, but I’ve worked for many companies that never saw beyond “salaries cost money, so pay as little as possible to as few people as possible.” I guess in this case it would be, “benefits cost money, so we’ll pay as few of those as possible.” > [@Smeghead](#): > > Yep. Frankly, the idea that it’s the responsibility of employers to provide health insurance is just stupid and nonsensical. Agreed. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > Agreed. But one fine day, comrade… 😉 A little socialism goes a long way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/25 "2013-10-04T17:32:54Z")
The timing is suspicious to me. The employer mandate has been delayed by twelve months, hasn’t it? They shouldn’t “need” to make a change like this until next year. Making it NOW means that they have to hire extra people NOW to maintain staffing levels, and AIUI, the costs of keeping two 20-hour/week employees on staff are greater than those of keeping one 40-hour/week employee. Why wouldn’t they kick that particular can down the road a few months? ( **Gatopescado** , they WILL serve the mayo on the side if you ask for it that way.) ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/26 "2013-10-04T17:33:56Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > [Wal-Mart](http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/09/25/wal-mart-returning-to-full-time-workers-obamacare-not-such-a-job-killer-after-all/?fark=green), for one, has decided to offer full-time hours (and benefits) to 35,000 employees. [Disney World is doing the same for all of its part-timers.](http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/10/02/2716951/disney-world-obamacare-promote-full-time/) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/27 "2013-10-04T18:32:11Z")
When it comes down to it, it is actually beneficial to the individuals who make less that 4x the Poverty Level to **NOT** have employer provided health insurance. So regardless of what kind of assholes you think they are, or what kind of assholes they think they are, the fact that they won’t be offering their people insurance is actually to their employee’s benefit. Well why the fuck is that Chimera? _ **Because you aren’t eligible for subsidized insurance through an exchange if you have employer provided health insurance.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/28 "2013-10-04T18:35:18Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > When it comes down to it, it is actually beneficial to the individuals who make less that 4x the Poverty Level to **NOT** have employer provided health insurance. > > So regardless of what kind of assholes you think they are, or what kind of assholes they think they are, the fact that they won’t be offering their people insurance is actually to their employee’s benefit. > > Well why the fuck is that Chimera? > > _ **Because you aren’t eligible for subsidized insurance through an exchange if you have employer provided health insurance.** _ And you can’t afford even the subsidized insurance if you’re working 25hrs a week now, instead of the 40 that you built your lifestyle around. Rent, car payment, EVERYTHING. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/29 "2013-10-04T19:11:11Z")
In the long run, they’ll find it difficult to keep employees. Their turnover will increase, their hiring and training costs will increase. The people who need a full time job will go find one somewhere else. Red Robin will become Dead Robin. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/30 "2013-10-04T19:15:19Z")
But in the long run, we’re all dead, so what does it matter? The hope is that “the long run” is short enough they change their policies or close up shop quickly. A long, slow lingering death isn’t good for anybody. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/31 "2013-10-04T19:15:51Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Except the “natural extension of the law” may not be as predictable as once thought. [Wal-Mart](http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/09/25/wal-mart-returning-to-full-time-workers-obamacare-not-such-a-job-killer-after-all/?fark=green), for one, has decided to offer full-time hours (and benefits) to 35,000 employees. It turns out that the public doesn’t much care for companies who put profits over treating their employees as human beings. Good article, and also covers the cost of too few employees AND the cost high turnover. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/32 "2013-10-04T19:26:35Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Hmm. In practice, I wonder if it’ll shake out like this: Red Robin could hire Server A for 40-hour weeks, and, say, Applebee’s could hire Server B for 40-hour weeks. But now Red Robin hires Server A for 20-hour weeks, and Server B for 20-hour weeks – and A and B both take a second 20-hour-a-week job at Applebee’s. I would like to point out that employers expect _their_ specific job to be the most important one, and very rarely are they willing to accept anybody who will not immediately jump into their car and show up at the drop of a hat. Coordinating 2 20 hour jobs when both places demand that their shifts are the most important and you _will_ take whatever we assign you, and because restaurants tend to have the same hours and busy times, makes it pretty much a done deal that both stores will demand you for the exact same shifts on the exact same days. Hell, a number of my server friends have trouble saving a specific day or offshift time range for college, a second job would be pretty much impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/33 "2013-10-04T19:40:55Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I would like to point out that employers expect _their_ specific job to be the most important one, and very rarely are they willing to accept anybody who will not immediately jump into their car and show up at the drop of a hat. Coordinating 2 20 hour jobs when both places demand that their shifts are the most important and you _will_ take whatever we assign you, and because restaurants tend to have the same hours and busy times, makes it pretty much a done deal that both stores will demand you for the exact same shifts on the exact same days. > > Hell, a number of my server friends have trouble saving a specific day or offshift time range for college, a second job would be pretty much impossible. Pre-fucking-cisely! This will not work out well. It will in my opinion, take so damn long to re-calibrate the economy (meaning, our habits and spending patterns within the economy) that we’re going to be very very screwed for the medium term. And the long term is not a possibility - because someone always comes along and changes things around before long-term ever arrives! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/34 "2013-10-04T19:50:21Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > At the same time, the idea that we could eliminate or federalize all private health insurance was a non-starter. Compromise was the only way to make any progress at all. Unfortunately. And unfortunately, this means we ended up with a compromise that managed to embody many of the worst bits of both sides. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/35 "2013-10-04T19:56:06Z")
True, but it’s better than what we had before, and we can make further improvements later. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/36 "2013-10-04T20:03:00Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I would like to point out that employers expect _their_ specific job to be the most important one, and very rarely are they willing to accept anybody who will not immediately jump into their car and show up at the drop of a hat. Coordinating 2 20 hour jobs when both places demand that their shifts are the most important and you _will_ take whatever we assign you, and because restaurants tend to have the same hours and busy times, makes it pretty much a done deal that both stores will demand you for the exact same shifts on the exact same days. > > Hell, a number of my server friends have trouble saving a specific day or offshift time range for college, a second job would be pretty much impossible. There were some articles on how employers were demanding that employees be available 40 hours a week even if they’d work much less. You can’t blame Obamacare for that. Plus stressed employees are not going to exactly try to upsell or create a good experience. And the moment the economy picks up they are going to walk. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/37 "2013-10-04T21:24:41Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Just as long as they keep their bottomless fries. Ouch! They really _do_ need health insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/38 "2013-10-04T21:49:33Z")
If Job A gives you 25 hours a week but acknowledges that you probably need another job and accomodates your schedule, and Job B gives you 25 hours a week and is capricious about their scheduling and often demands that you be available any time, which job are you going to take or keep? Which company is going to retain their people and which one is going to be a revolving door? Asshole Bosses have always been with us, since Og hired Zag to clean out a cave for 2 ostrich pelts, then knocked him on the head with a bone and kept the pelts. It has nothing to do with the ACA. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/39 "2013-10-04T22:58:54Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I don’t like Red Robin because I prefer something\* less\* than a cup of mayonnaise on my burger. They’re always so good about customizing orders though. I do every single time because I’m annoying (no sauce/mayo, their delicious honey mustard on the side, no pickles, extra tomatoes) and they always get it right. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359/40 "2013-10-04T23:02:22Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > There were some articles on how employers were demanding that employees be available 40 hours a week even if they’d work much less. You can’t blame Obamacare for that. Ten years ago I had a boss tell me I had to be available 7 days a week, I could not have the same day off each week for school. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aca-and-the-bastages-who-run-the-local-franchise-of-red-robin/670359.md?page=3)