[Job] Locked and [Un]loaded: The effect of the Affordable Care Act dependency mandate on reenlistment in the U.S. Army

One concern with employer-based health insurance is job lock or the inability for employees to leave their current employment for better opportunities for fear of losing benefits. We use the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's dependency mandate as a natural experiment. Data from the United States Army overcome some limitations in previous studies including the ability to examine workers with fixed contract expiration dates, uniform pay, and health coverage. We find that the ACA decreased reenlistment rates by 3.13 percent for enlisted soldiers aged 23-25. We also find that younger veterans who leave the Army are more likely to attend college. These findings show that the ACA reduced job lock and increased college-going.

Nurse staffing laws: should you worry?

All 50 states could soon set mandates on RN staffing. Plans vary widely. In some states,,hospitals and nursing groups are uniting to shape the rules.

Involuntary termination of employment: legal and practical considerations

Involuntary termination of employment is the final step in the human resource management life cycle. It often is viewed negatively because it may connote failure on the part of the employee. In some circumstances, however, it may indicate management's failure to turn a situation around. Although you may never expect an involuntary termination to be a pleasant experience, management can find some consolation in assuring that the decision is well founded and based on legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons.

Nurse administrators in job transition: stories from the front

Nurse executives continually experience legal and ethical dilemmas that affect their personal and professional lives. An issue facing increasing numbers of nurse executives is turnover, whether voluntary or involuntary. The next several columns will explore the nurse administrator in job transition, with the goal of increasing their understanding of their legal rights and responsibilities when dealing with this aspect of their professional practice.