NEW YORK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation’s largest private employer, is scaling back health care coverage for future part-time workers while raising premiums for some full-time workers.
The discounter says that rising health care costs are forcing it to eliminate healthcare coverage for future part-time workers who work less than 24 hours a week. New part-time employees who average 24 hours to 33 hours a week will not be able to include a spouse as part of their health care coverage. However, their children will qualify under their plan.
The company also says full-time workers who are smokers will see their premiums substantially rise.
Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, defines full-time workers as anyone who works 34 or more hours per week. The company employs more than 1.4 million workers.