Whole Foods to cut medical benefits for part-timers

Grand Opening Of New Whole Foods Market Store As Customer Traffic Increases

Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market is changing medical benefit eligibility requirements next year that could leave as many as 1,900 part-time workers without coverage.

Employees will have to work at least 30 hours a week to qualify for a healthcare plan beginning Jan. 1, up from the current eligibility requirement of 20 hours, the company said in an emailed statement.

The change will affect just under 2% of the chain’s workforce, Whole Foods said.

“We are providing team members with resources to find alternative healthcare coverage options, or to explore full-time, healthcare-eligible positions starting at 30 hours per week,” a company spokesperson said via email.

It’s the latest change to the grocery store chain since Amazon purchased it in 2017 to increase its share of the grocery market and make a big push into brick-and-mortar retail.

Bloomberg News
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