S.F. Restaurant Owners Continue Push Against Employer Contributions
NPR's "Morning Edition" on Wednesday reported on the legal battle over a provision in a San Francisco law that requires employers to spend a certain amount on health care, either in coverage for their workers or in payments to the city.
The Healthy San Francisco program provides universal access to health care services for city residents and requires employers to offer health coverage to workers, pay into workers' health savings accounts, reimburse workers for medical costs or pay into a health care fund (Korry, "Morning Edition," NPR, 1/23).
The Golden Gate Restaurant Association in 2006 filed a lawsuit against the city, saying the ordinance violates federal law.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White last month ruled that the employer spending provision violated the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, but a three-judge appeals panel this month granted a temporary stay of the district court order and allowed San Francisco to move forward with the program while it appeals the restaurant association's lawsuit (California Healthline, 1/17).
The "Morning Edition" segment includes comments from:
- Joannie Chang of the San Francisco Office of Labor and Standards Compliance; and
- Dan Scherotter, a restaurant owner and incoming president of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association ("Morning Edition," NPR, 1/23).
Audio of the segment is available online. This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.