Darden Restaurants, the parent company of chains like Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouses, says that it is experimenting with staffing schedules in an effort to decrease health care costs. The company has stopped offering many of its employees full-time work at some restaurants. When the Affordable Care Act goes into effect in 2014, companies will have to provide healthcare to employees working more than 30 hours a week or face a penalty. Darden says that they are attempting to keep employees at 28 hours a week at the restaurants. While some analysts say that they expect this to become a trend, others point to issues with turnover and unqualified workers if most are part-time.
See "Darden tests limiting worker hours as health-care changes loom", Sandra Pedicini, Orlando Sentinel, October 10, 2012