Reply #5

Companies with more than 50 workers will offer insurance to those working more than 30 hours a week. German workers are about 30 hour work weeks as well, but the wages are sufficient.

That means an employer working 24/7 business with 100 workers will cut hours back to 120 hours a month for each employee. A 24/7 business has 720 hours a month, means he has to hire 5 additional employees for each of his 100 current workers a month.

Part time workers can go next door and get a second job if they want, or spend more time at home. This will empty the labor pool and make labor a premium again to raise wages. When workers make less, they buy less, so costs of goods go down to reflect payroll.

The employer however has to hire an additional 5 supervisors, another accountant to do payroll, pay workers comp on each employee, pay for more uniforms, and prepare for more lost production at shift change, hire more workers when his are sick.

Some of you are smarter than I am, and there are probably other advantages for workers as well.