NRF: Healthcare legislation will force retail job losses

Washington, D.C. The National Retail Federation on Monday expressed “extreme disappointment” at the House’s passage of sweeping healthcare reform legislation over the weekend, saying added labor costs under the bill will cost many retail workers their jobs.

“This truly is an historic moment, but not a cause for celebration. Congress has embarked on a dangerous, anti-job experiment in the midst of the worst economy our nation has seen in decades,” NRF senior VP for government relations Steve Pfister said.

Pfister said it is particularly concerned about mid-sized companies that are large enough for the mandates to apply but too small to have the ability to absorb these added costs.

“They could be among the hardest hit,” he said. “And small businesses that drive so much of the job creation in our country are going to be forced to hold their size under 50 workers to avoid the employer mandate threshold.”

As regulators set the rules under which the new law will be implemented, NRF said it will work diligently to maximize the benefits of its positive components and minimize the negative impact on American businesses and workers.