Md. Passes Rules on Wal-Mart Insurance

[warrens]

Maryland lawmakers yesterday approved legislation that would effectively require Wal-Mart to boost spending on health care, a direct legislative thrust against a corporate giant that is already on the defensive on many fronts nationwide.

"We're looking for responsible businesses to ante up . . . and provide adequate health care," said Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), the Finance Committee chairman, as the Senate approved the measure with a majority wide enough to survive an anticipated veto. A similar bill has cleared the House of Delegates, and legislators expect to reconcile their differences easily.

Lawmakers said they did not set out to single out Wal-Mart when they drafted a bill requiring organizations with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits -- or put the money directly into the state's health program for the poor.

But as debate raged in the Senate yesterday, it was clear that the giant retailer, which has 15,000 workers in Maryland, was the only company that would be affected.

SNIP

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28219-2005Apr5.html

I love it.

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Good...there is NO EXCUSE for a company with their profit margin...

...to have their employees on public assistance for healthcare.

[LiberalEsto]

2. This is great, but

I'm afraid it could be shot down by the courts if Walmart can claim this law was expressly aimed at them and no other businesses.

[The White Tree]

4. I probably won't get that far

I heard that the Governor has said he would veto this.

[Javaman]

3. Plus, nothing requires china-mart to give everyone a 40 hour

work week. As long as they keep the majority of their staff part time, they don't have to provide health coverage.