Obamacare woes: Colleges cutting professor hours to avoid mandate

By Sam Baker, TheHill.com | Modified: January 22, 2013 at 3:29 pm | Published: January 22, 2013 Comment on this article

The Wall Street Journal reported this weekend that some small colleges in the northeast have begun cutting the number of classes and hours adjunct professors can work in hopes to avoid the employer mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly referred to as Obamacare.

photo - President Barack Obama delivers his Inaugural address at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Barack Obama delivers his Inaugural address at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

According to TheHill.com: "One school that has cut adjunct professors' hours — Community College of Allegheny County — would have had to spend about $6 million to offer coverage to adjunct faculty and support staff whose hours are now being limited, the Journal reported."

One aspect the Journal focused on was the increased unionization of adjunct professors and what it might mean for public colleges: "Some college administrators fear the fallout of the Affordable Care Act will further motivate unionization efforts, said Dan King, executive director of the American Association of University Administrators."

The complete story can be found on WSJ.com, but requires a subscription to view.