I am a small businessman...

[j2k4]

...and as such employ a number of people; this circumstance gives rise to my question:

By what historical reason, rationale or imperative am I charged with the responsibility to not only pay my employees what is somewhat amorphously referred to as a "living wage", I am expected to provide health insurance coverage, and assume financial responsibility for this provision.

Where/how did this custom begin?

[clocker]

I believe it began as a perk, a way to entice qualified people into the sweatshop you ran.

[j2k4]

Well, I don't run a sweatshop.

Besides which, you didn't answer my question.

[clocker]

I thought I answered the "how" part and have no idea of the "where".
Perhaps it was Henry Ford, who famously doubled his workers daily salary in order to feed the expanding maw of the FMC.

What difference do "where and how" make anyway?

[j2k4]

Okay, never mind the where or how.

How did it become a requirement?

I understand perfectly the perceived "convenience", and do not necessarily object to being the conduit by which coverage is procured, but how did it become an expectation that the business foot the bill, in part or in full?

[A13]

Well I think it's the ideal that people should be entitled to health care, it is a right of nature that they receive so. Other countries have some form or way to provide health care for a lot of its citizens, so it seems the same is being done here. It was said before that US was the only developed country that had not provide "universal health care" I believe.

[clocker]

How did it become a requirement?

I understand perfectly the perceived "convenience", and do not necessarily object to being the conduit by which coverage is procured, but how did it become an expectation that the business foot the bill, in part or in full?

Dunno, I haven't had health insurance since 1983.

[mothis]

The practice of employer provided health insurance was actually started by larger companies to prevent their employees from leaving.

[bigboab]

...and as such employ a number of people; this circumstance gives rise to my question:

By what historical reason, rationale or imperative am I charged with the responsibility to not only pay my employees what is somewhat amorphously referred to as a "living wage", I am expected to provide health insurance coverage, and assume financial responsibility for this provision.

Where/how did this custom begin?

Your question has been answered by Clocker. If you want the right staff you have to pay them what the other chappie pays or lose them. Anyway you don't pay for it. Your customers pay for it, unless you are the first capitalist in the world to absorb all the costs and not pass them on to the customers, plus a wee bit extra for yourself and investors.

[Snee]

Maybe you need to eat more.