Sodexo on hold for employment status changes per the University of Vermont

Oct. 28—The University of Vermont is telling food service giant Sodexo not to proceed with plans to redefine employment status for its UVM workers.

UVM President Tom Sullivan said Friday that the university’s 320 food service workers will see no change in their employment status “until further notice” as UVM looks into the effect on workers’ health care benefits.

Sodexo in September announced that it was redefining full-time employment as an average of 30 hours per week over the course of a year. Some UVM food service employees were concerned that the reclassification might disqualify them from benefits because they work fewer hours in the summer.

Sodexo said in September that it was making the change in response to the federal Affordable Care Act.