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Environmental Science Common Workplace Problem: Term Paper

Environmental Science

Common Workplace Problem: A Lack of Affordable Health Care

While issues such as workplace discrimination and sexual harassment are certainly pressing concerns, the biggest problem and the greatest risk to American business and American workers today is the lack of affordable health insurance and comprehensive health coverage. This is a problem both for employees but also for businesses. One of the reasons the 'Big Three' automotive companies have experienced such financial difficulties is because they are "obligated to pay lifetime health benefits to generations of retirees" and to pay for the health care tab of current employees (Cohen 2007:3). As covering workers becomes more expensive, businesses suffer who must compete with businesses from countries whose governments offer national health insurance and pay for all citizens' costs of care. And unlike other workplace problems, no single business can solve this problem alone. Industry must work together with the federal government and the healthcare industry to find a solution.

Of course, workers suffer the most from this state of affairs. Workers who do not have health insurance through their employer must live under the constant fear of being stricken by an illness, especially those who work in dangerous workplace environments with toxic chemicals, smoke-filled atmospheres, or other hazards. Very often workers must choose jobs based upon benefits, not where they wish to work. Workers may decide not to open up small businesses or work for smaller businesses who cannot offer them comprehensive care. and, of course the children of uninsured workers suffer, innocent victims of the system.

Even companies like Safeway that have made heroic efforts to foster healthy living and disease prevention initiatives to cut costs have stated that universal health care is necessary to contain costs and keep their workers healthy enough to work, with as few sick days as possible. (Cohen 2007:4). Unions, companies, and the government must work together to create a healthy, safer and more affordable medical tomorrow.

Works Cited

Cohen, Jonathan. "What's the One Thing Big Business and the Left Have in Common?" The New York Times Magazine. 1 Apr 2007. [10 Apr 2007]. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01Healthcare.t.html?pagewanted=6&ei=5070&en=6ff729a7fa6330ac&ex=1176350400

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