Oct. 6, 2016

Richmond Fed Research Assesses the Affordable Care Act’s Effect on Part-Time Employment

Richmond, Va.

Recent economic research has been divided over whether the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased the use of part-time labor, according to the Richmond Fed’s latest Economic Brief.

One challenge for researchers trying to gauge the effect has been delays in the ACA’s implementation. Delays have made it difficult to define the period when employers would have started responding (if at all) to the ACA. The Richmond Fed essay concludes that research based on the period since the law’s enactment date — rather than its implementation dates — may not fully capture the ACA’s effect on part-time employment.

The Richmond Fed’s Economic Brief series provides web-exclusive essays on current economic issues and trends. Sign up to receive an email notification when a new essay is posted.

As part of our nation’s central bank, the Richmond Fed is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks working together with the Board of Governors to support a healthy economy and deliver on our mission to foster economic stability and strength. We connect with community and business leaders across the Fifth Federal Reserve District — including the Carolinas, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and most of West Virginia — to monitor economic conditions, address issues facing our communities, and share this information with monetary and financial policymakers. We also work with banks to ensure they are operating safely and soundly, supply financial institutions with currency that’s fit for distribution, and provide a safe and efficient way to transfer funds through our nation’s payments system.

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