Interesting New York Times story about the prevalent use of part-time workers by the retail industry, as well as the software some use to help project the need for workers based on such things as weather forecasts. Some of the part-timers interviewed think it’s unfair, including the Western Carolina University graduate quoted in the story.
At first, he usually worked five days a week, often racking up 30 hours. But after several months, he said, he and many co-workers had their weekly hours cut to 12 or 15 and occasionally none at all.
“I’d go to the managers and say, ‘What is the issue? Am I not pulling my weight?’ ” he said. “And they’d say, ‘We just don’t have enough money.’ ”
“ ‘So how am I supposed to support myself? ’ I asked, and they said that was not their problem.”
But employers must do what is best for their business, or be willing to accept the hit if they don’t. And that hit can be layoffs or closure if it costs more to produce, market and sell a product or service than the sale can bring in. And for those who are concerned about the part-time trend, I suggest they think about the impact of Obamacare on the work force. If Obamacare remains in place as is, you will see more part time workers as employers try to stay afloat.
