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Whole Foods to cut health care for part-time workers

Starting next year, Whole Foods employees have to work at least 30 hours a week to qualify for its health care benefits.
Credit: AP
FILE - This Friday, June 16, 2017, file photo shows corporate signage at a Whole Foods Market in San Antonio. Ahead of Thanksgiving 2017, Amazon is giving Prime members their first taste of special discounts at its recently-acquired Whole Foods stores. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Whole Foods, the grocery chain owned by Amazon, is cutting health care benefits for its part-time workers, a move that could leave about 1,900 of its employees without medical coverage.

Starting next year, Whole Foods employees have to work at least 30 hours a week to qualify for its health care benefits, up from the 20 hours a week it currently requires.

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The grocer, which has about 95,000 workers, said it is making the change "to better meet the needs of" its business. Whole Foods said it is helping worker explore full-time jobs at its stores or find other ways to get health care coverage.

Online shopping giant Amazon.com Inc. bought Whole Foods two years ago for nearly $14 billion, cutting prices on some items and adding its smile logo in its aisles.

News of the benefits change was first reported by Business Insider.

Credit: AP
FILE - This Friday, June 16, 2017, file photo shows corporate signage at a Whole Foods Market in San Antonio. Ahead of Thanksgiving 2017, Amazon is giving Prime members their first taste of special discounts at its recently-acquired Whole Foods stores. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

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