Obamacare backlash: Denny’s franchise owner to add surcharge to customers' bills

[red states rule]

I hope the people who voted for Obama enjoying the results of his re-election. Many companies have sent out layoff notices, and now another restaurant chain has announced reduced hours, layoffs, and higher prices.

A Florida-based restaurateur who oversees about 1,200 employees throughout the south has a new idea for offsetting costs from the Affordable Care Act: A 5 percent surcharge on all of his customers' bills.
John Metz, president and owner of RREMC Restaurants in West Palm Beach, currently runs 40 Denny's and Dairy Queen locations. He also owns five Hurricane Grill & Wings franchises in Florida. He plans to impose the 5 percent surcharge tax in all of his restaurants starting in January of 2014, when the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented.

"Although it may sound terrible that I'm doing this, it's the only alternative," Metz told The Huffington Post. "I've got to pass the cost on to the consumer."

Metz will also be slashing most of his front-of-the-house employees' hours to fewer than 30 hours per week, a tactic that he expects many business owners will use to avoid paying for "Obamacare."
The current law says that employers with more than 50 full-time workers will be charged a penalty for the number of employees exceeding 30 full-time staffers who are not covered. Metz has an average of 35 full-time employees per location, so a $2,000 penalty per employee would total about $70,000 per restaurant. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.s...oses_5_pe.html

[tailfins]

I agree with your premise on prices, layoffs, etc. However, Denny's wasn't good before the election. Their food tastes frozen then reheated. They have badly gone downhill over the years. If it were a choice between Denny's and Burger King, I would choose Burger King.

[red states rule]

I agree with your premise on prices, layoffs, etc. However, Denny's wasn't good before the election. Their food tastes frozen then reheated. They have badly gone downhill over the years. If it were a choice between Denny's and Burger King, I would choose Burger King.

Here is the most recent layoffs, cutback, and bankruptcy filings. All since Obama won re-election

Here is the list of domestic layoffs compiled by DailyJobCuts.com since Monday of this week:
NBCUniversal – 500

In a round of year-end belt tightening, NBCUniversal is cutting about 500 employees, or about 1.5% of its total workforce. The cuts are distributed throughout the media company, which boasts nearly 30,000 employees, according to a person close to the situation who asked not to be identified discussing the sensitive topic.

Xerox Corp. – 2,500

On Tuesday, Xerox provided some sketchy details of that restructuring: By the end of the year, 2,500 current employees will be former employees.

Citigroup Inc. – 100 in Long Island NY

Citigroup Inc., the third-biggest U.S. bank, is dismissing 100 people on New York’s Long Island as the lender seeks to cut costs amid a slump in revenue.

Atlantic City’s Casinos – Workers Face Layoffs After Sandy

ATLANTIC CITY — While gaming numbers in our area have been sluggish in recent months, the situation has intensified since hurricane sandy, and now more and more casino workers are looking at a cut in hours or even partial or permanent lay offs.

Update: Smithfield Foods Inc. Meat Plant VA – Starting Layoffs

The Smithfield, Va.-based company said layoffs will start at the Portsmouth plant in January and it will close at the end of March. The first layoffs at the Smithfield Packing Co. facility will involve about 120 workers, with more than 400 workers affected by the time plant is closed, said Jeff Gough, Smithfield’s senior vice president for human resources. Employees have been offered transfer opportunities.

Update: Cummins – Starts Layoffs in Indiana

Layoff notices starting going out this week to the engine-maker‘s white-collar workers at its headquaters in Columbus. Job cuts are also expected at Cummins‘ three southern Indiana plants: the Fuel Systems Plant and MidRange Engine Plant in Columbus and the Engine plant in Seymour.

Solel Solar Systems ( International ) – 140+

Three years after acquiring Solel Solar Systems in Beit Shemesh, which produces thermo-solar energy systems, Siemens AG (NYSE: SI; DAX: SIE) is firing about 140 of the company’s 430 employees. In contrast to six months ago when 100 employees were fired, mainly production staff, the latest round of layoffs includes engineering and development personnel, following the company’s decision to close down several major projects.

Pierce Manufacturing in Bradenton – Layoffs begin

Pierce Manufacturing in Bradenton, a subsidiary of the manufacturer of emergency response vehicles Oshkosh, is beginning its first round of layoffs, which will eventually affect 325 workers.

Hostess – 3 Plant Closing = 627 Jobs Lost

The world of Twinkies and Wonder Bread threatened to crumble Monday, as a nationwide strike continued and Hostess Brands Inc., the bankrupt owner of the historic products, said it would close three bakeries, eliminating 627 jobs.

Gamesa Energy – 92 Layoff Notices

Gamesa Energy has issued layoff notices to more than half of its Cambria Township work force. Company officials say 92 of the plant’s 154 workers are expected to be out of work at the plant by early next year.

Update: Wingspan Portfolio Advisors – 459 Possible Layoffs

DALLAS — Wingspan Portfolio Advisors, a Carrollton-based loan servicing company, will layoff more than a quarter of its workforce at the end of the year.

Wake Forest Baptist Medical NC – 950 Positions by June 2013

In a news release, WFBMC said about half of the layoffs will come from “vacant, temporary and contract labor positions, as well as normal attrition and retirements.” As many as 475 current employees — about 3.5 percent of the company’s workforce — will get pink slips. While the staff reductions won’t be complete until next summer, 76 employees are being laid off this week.

Turkey Point Nuclear Plant FL – 277 Layoffs Possible

The 277 employees are to be laid off between Jan. 6 and May 26. The workers include 77 field engineers, 49 superintendents, 44 design engineers and 22 welding field engineers. The employees are not represented by a union. The layoffs are expected to be permanent.

Tooele County UT – 22

For the third time in the last four months Tooele County has announced a reduction of employees as the Tooele County Commission and county department heads scramble to reduce expenses to meet an unforeseen reduction in revenue.

Glens Falls Hospital NY – 29

Glens Falls Hospital announced Tuesday morning it is eliminating 29 jobs and reducing five other employees to part-time status, as part of a cost-reduction program being blamed on “declining reimbursement levels and other economic challenges.”

Bayou Cane, Louisiana – 7 FD Layoffs Likely

The fire chief’s decision to close the station at Savanne Road and Little Bayou Black Drive is the first of several steps intended to make up the money that will be lost when a federal grant expires in 2014. Other planned cuts include laying off seven employees by Jan. 1, eliminating overtime and reducing the number of calls that its trucks respond to each year.

Publishing Firm Lulu in Raleigh – 9

Raleigh-based Lulu, which provides self-publishing services around the world, has made layoffs at its headquarters and other locations. The company is owned by Red Hat co-founder Bob Young. Nine positions were cut in Raleigh and an undisclosed number of positions will be affected at other operations, Lulu said.

Hamilton FD Ohio – Possible 2 Closing – 17 Layoffs

A study by public safety consultants Berkshire Advisors Inc. recommended a number of changes to improve efficiency in the Hamilton Fire Department, including increasing the workweek from 48 to 52 hours. This would reduce staff by nine firefighters and save the city $825,000 in overtime costs, according to the study. The city is projected to spend $1.1 million in overtime costs in 2012.

Dana Corporation – Warns Employees of Poss. Layoffs

TOLEDO, Ohio -Dana Corporation is warning its employees that there could be a large number of layoffs on the way. The Washington Times reports that Dana will likely pay $24 million over the next six years in healthcare expenses and that cost is driving the layoffs.

Mississippi County Arkansas – About 12 Layoffs

The Finance Committee of the Mississippi County Quorum Court slashed $1.5 million from the county’s 2013 budget, which will trigger layoffs of about a dozen employees.

The Commercial Appeal – Another Round of Layoffs?

According to the media-focused blog Mediaverse, The Commercial Appeal has suffered another rounds of layoffs. This time, the cuts involve the advertising department.

The Brattleboro Retreat – 27 Layoffs, 4 Positions Lost

Peter Albert, vice president for external affairs at the Retreat, said management decided to cut positions after reviewing third quarter revenues and expenditures. “Projecting out the fourth quarter, the year would come in at a loss,” he said.

Otsego County NY – 10 Layoffs Possible

As the rough parameters of Otsego County’s 2013 budget take shape, it appears that about 10 county jobs will be eliminated and some public services will be reduced, county Treasurer Dan Crowell said Tuesday.

Late additions to the list from Blaze reader tips.


World Media Enterprises – 105 Jobs Cut

World Media Enterprises Inc., the division created earlier this year by Berkshire Hathaway after it purchased most Media General Inc. newspaper properties, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, today announced it is eliminating 105 jobs, including 33 related to its decision to shutter the News & Messenger in Manassas.

Reports Of Cuts Coming To GE Healthcare In Vermont

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - More job cuts at GE Healthcare in South Burlington– though how many is unclear. The Vermont location specializes in developing information technology for the health care industry. About 850 people worked there when GE bought out IDX Systems in 2005. There have been several job cuts since then, including at least two others earlier this year.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/more...dical-company/
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[KarlMarx]

Today, John Metz, the owner of 40 Denny’s franchise restaurants in the state of Florida, announced plans to add a 5 percent surcharge to his customers’ bills to pay for his legal responsibility to make available health care coverage to his employees as required by Obamacare. Beginning in 2014, the looming health care law imposes penalties on businesses with over 50 employees that don't provide "affordable" health care to employees. Here are the details of this portion of the law:

• Starting in 2014, large businesses (those with 50 or more full-time workers) that do not provide adequate health insurance will be required to pay an assessment if their employees receive premium tax credits to buy their own insurance. These assessments will offset part of the cost of these tax credits. The assessment for a large employer that does not offer coverage will be $2,000 per full-time employee beyond the company's first 30 workers.

remainder of article at http://www.examiner.com/article/obamacare-backlash-denny-s-franchise-owner-to-add-surcharge-to-customers-bills

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

remainder of article at http://www.examiner.com/article/obamacare-backlash-denny-s-franchise-owner-to-add-surcharge-to-customers-bills

Good, I hope the laid off workers that voted for the bastard get to cry a lot about their GD stupidity. I have no sympathy for his supporters that get exactly what they deserve. Plenty of the coming unemployed people will be waiters and waitresses that voted for the ffing scum. I hope they enjoy their handiwork. -Tyr

[logroller]

It's still operating revenue. Same effect as merely raising prices, like most all businesses have, but the owner obviously wants to make a political statement. Might as well call it, I bitterly hate Obamacare and want to remind every one of my customers fee.

[red states rule]

Great minds think alike Karl http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthre...-Obamacare-Tax Can a staff member merge these threads? LR it is more then a "political statement". Obabacre is killing jobs and shoving the already lousy Obama economy deeper into the sewer. Obamacare is nothing more then a massive tax bill (or do you think it is a massive fee bill?) and power grab

[red states rule]

[fj1200]

^It is a political statement when you turn a cost of doing business into a visible surcharge.

[mundame]

It's still operating revenue. Same effect as merely raising prices, like most all businesses have, but the owner obviously wants to make a political statement. Might as well call it, I bitterly hate Obamacare and want to remind every one of my customers fee.

Correctamundo. And it will drive Denny's out of business, too, because nobody likes that stuff.

Park's Seed Co., a very old company I'd traded with for 40 years, started putting on a surcharge for "transportation costs."

It's gone way, way down in competitiveness and I no longer buy from them. I don't know whether it's cause or effect, but once they start that stuff, they're on their way out.

[DragonStryk72]

It's still operating revenue. Same effect as merely raising prices, like most all businesses have, but the owner obviously wants to make a political statement. Might as well call it, I bitterly hate Obamacare and want to remind every one of my customers fee.

Um yeah? If he just raises the prices, the customers will decide it's just to be a dick, or cause he's a greedy bastard for doing so. He's just being as transparent as possible about it. Moreso than our current administration ever will be.

[fj1200]

^1. Nobody would notice 5%, and 2. many potential customers just don't want to be preached to over their Grand Slam.

[jimnyc]

I think the bottom line is that businesses are not going to take a loss. They are in business to make money. So if something like Obamacare is hurting their bottom line, they will find a way to pass the cost along to employees or customers, or both.

[aboutime]

remainder of article at http://www.examiner.com/article/obamacare-backlash-denny-s-franchise-owner-to-add-surcharge-to-customers-bills

KarlMarx. All anyone needs to do is look back to 2008, when the Democrats and Obama forced his OBAMACARE bill down the throats of Americans. And remember how most of us who saw the writing on the wall. WARNED THEM about what the results would eventually be. Such as this. Not only with Denny's. But let's just keep watching, and notice the growing number of businesses that do exactly the same thing.

Will Obama still blame Bush????

If you are a good, uniformed, easily-led Liberal...Of course you must blame Bush.

[aboutime]

I agree with your premise on prices, layoffs, etc. However, Denny's wasn't good before the election. Their food tastes frozen then reheated. They have badly gone downhill over the years. If it were a choice between Denny's and Burger King, I would choose Burger King.

tailfins. Guess it just depends on where, and what city the Denny's happens to be in these days.

Not only Denny's, but the other Major fast food chains are going down hill too!

The quality of the service seems to be based on HOW happy the workers are to be there that day. Making their Minimum wage, and listening to people COMPLAIN about almost everything. And demanding FIVE STAR treatment in a ZERO STAR joint.

It's only going to get worse.