Scott Gordon, chief financial officer of Front Burner Restaurants, has a math problem on his hands.
Addison-based Front Burner, parent company of 36 Twin Peaks restaurants and several other eatery concepts, has 2,800 employees. Only 150 employees — primarily managers and corporate office workers —are covered by the company’s health insurance.
The Affordable Care Act — sometimes called Obamacare — has a provision that takes place Jan. 1 that requires companies with 50 or more employees to offer their insurance plan to employees who work 30 or more hours per week or pay a fine. By Gordon’s estimation, Front Burner will have to offer insurance to 700 more employees come Jan. 1.
Some restaurant chains plan to cut employees’ hours to stay under the 30-hour cap, but Gordon said Front Burner has ruled that out.