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Noem Discusses The "Save American Workers Act"

Congresswoman Kristi Noem plans to continue efforts to repeal or delay the national healthcare program known as the Affordable Care Act. The House of Representatives plans to address a reform bill this week to change the definition of a full time employee.

The United States House of Representatives plans to take on the “Save American Workers Act” this week. This bill reforms what a full-time worker is defined as through the Affordable Care Act. Currently, a full-time employee is anyone who works 30 or more hours a week. The "Save American Workers Act" defines full-time as a person who works 40 or more hours. Congresswoman Noem says employers required to provide health insurance to employees with 30 or more hours, are struggling with the task.

"And this has caused a lot of employers, and I’ve heard from many of them back in South Dakota, to cut workers back to 29 hours because they can’t afford that coverage. As many as 2.6 million workers nationwide are at risk of having their hours cut, and for some of them that could mean a 25 percent pay cut," Congresswoman Noem says.

The congresswoman says this would allow employees to work more than 29 hours a week without being labeled as full-time.

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and two kids Braxan and Jordy, live in Canton, SD.