Fair Share Health Care is heating up in New Jersey...

From the Courier Post:

TRENTON -- Saying some large companies such as Wal-Mart are shirking their responsibilities to provide health care to employees, state senators took up proposals Monday aimed at forcing employers to pay more for coverage.

One measure would force companies with more than 1,000 employees to spend at least $4.17 per hour for their workers' health care. Companies that fall short would have to pay into a state fund that provides health coverage for the poor.

Another bill would require the state to track companies whose workers use FamilyCare, a state health insurance plan meant for the poor. Democrats and employee union leaders said big companies are forcing workers into the taxpayer-funded program by offering health insurance that is either limited or too expensive.

"The taxpayers of the state of New Jersey should no longer bear the burden of funding health care for corporations that are making hundreds of millions of dollars in the state," said Sen. Stephen M. Sweeney, D-West Deptford.

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This article references a report from New Jersey Policy Perspective called "ATTENTION SHOPPERS: You Pay the Health Insurance Bills For Some of New Jersey's Largest Employers". The report reveals that Wal-Mart/Sam's Club, New Jersey's eighth largest employer, has more employees and employees' family members in the state health program than any other employer. Read the whole report here.