WASHINGTON, DC:Today, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) teams with Congressman Jim Renacci (OH-16), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), and Jim Costa (CA-16) introduced H.R. 5213, the Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality (STARS) Act, a bipartisan bill that clarifies the employer mandate’s seasonal worker exemption provision within the President’s health care law to provide one clear definition of seasonal employment.

“Employers who depend on seasonal help deserve to have clarity regarding their responsibility to comply with the Employer Mandate,” said Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02). “The STARS Act is a bipartisan solution that will provide employers with the certainty they need to hire seasonal employees without being penalized because of confusing rules. Our commitment is and always will be to ensure small businesses are not negatively impacted by laws and we will continue our efforts to create an environment for them to grow, create jobs, and foster a healthy economy.”

“As I travel throughout Northeast Ohio, I continue to hear about the challenges our small businesses face as they struggle to decipher the Affordable Care Act’s overlapping provisions” saidCongressman Jim Renacci. “Our small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and instead of spending time and money to comply with the law, they should focus their resources on doing what they do best: creating jobs. I introduced the STARS Act to reduce burdensome regulations and provide our small businesses with the certainty that they need to hire and expand.”

Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) stated, “This bi-partisan bill will make our healthcare system work better for businesses and employees. It simplifies a complex area of the new healthcare law that is causing great uncertainty for our nation’s small businesses and farmers. The American public has been crying out for us to work together to solve the problems facing our country. This bill is a step in that direction.”

“By creating one clear definition of seasonal employment, the STARS Act will reduce the confusing and unnecessary obstacles to compliance with the new health care law for small, seasonal employers,” said Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16). “Eliminating contradictory definitions will allow our small businesses to focus their resources on creating jobs, providing services, and boosting our economy.”

The STARS Act:

 The President’s health care law requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees, or full-time equivalents, to offer health care coverage or pay a fine. Though the law intended to grant an exemption for small, seasonal employers, that intent is lost in multiple inconsistent definitions and burdensome red tape that has led to confusion for small business owners. Under current law, a seasonal worker is not necessarily a seasonal employee.

The STARS Act replaces the complex, arbitrary seasonal worker exemption with one definition of seasonal employment. This simplified standard is consistent across industries and will reduce the administrative burden for small businesses and help them to avoid hefty penalties under the President’s health care law.

Over 100 organizations support the STARS Act, includingthe Hotel, Restaurant & Retailers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Hotel and Lodging Association, Associated General Contractors, National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, National Council of Agricultural Employers, National Federation of Independent Business, National Restaurant Association, and the National Retail Federation. Find a full list of the supporting organizations HERE.

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