School district's insurance concerns prompt cut in hours

TWIN FALLS (AP) - A south-central Idaho school district has cut hours for more than 150 workers to avoid having to provide health insurance mandated under the Affordable Care Act.

The Twin Falls School District made the move after administrators concluded that maintaining work hours would cost the district $1 million.

"It's an unintended consequence of the health care reform act," said district Human Resources Director Shannon Swafford.

The board cut weekly hours for teaching aides, food service employees and other non-professionals to 27.5 hours from previous workweeks of 30 to 34 hours.

Under the Affordable Care Act, employees working 30 or more hours in 2015 will be eligible for full insurance benefits in 2016. Employers with 50 or more workers must offer coverage to those averaging at least 30 hours per week, or face fines.

Swafford said the approaching mandate led the school district to rework schedules so workers wouldn't go above 30 hours. Some aides will no longer coach sports teams as a result.

Other school districts in the region tell the newspaper that they have no plans to reduce hours for workers.

"Are we going to take those employees and bump them down? No," said Luke Schroeder, superintendent for the Kimberly School District.