January 25, 2013

30-Hour Work Week Is a Critical Threshold for More Than Just Health Care

30-Hour Work Week Is a Critical Threshold for More Than Just Health Care 1

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For some adjuncts, getting documentation of how many hours they work is becoming trickier. That stems in part from colleges' concerns over a provision in the new health-care law for what constitutes full-time employment. But the benchmark applies to other federal benefits, too, including a loan-forgiveness program.

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close 30-Hour Work Week Is a Critical Threshold for More Than Just Health Care 1

iStock

For some adjuncts, getting documentation of how many hours they work is becoming trickier. That stems in part from colleges' concerns over a provision in the new health-care law for what constitutes full-time employment. But the benchmark applies to other federal benefits, too, including a loan-forgiveness program.

By Audrey Williams June

The way colleges count adjuncts' workloads is important not only for determining whether they are eligible for health insurance under the new health-care law but also for their participation in some other federal programs.

A federal student-loan-forgiveness program uses the same 30-hour benchmark as the health-care law for determining full-time employment, a key requirement for eligibility. And at least one adjunct is having trouble qualifying because the colleges she teaches for are