Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
It seemed like a great idea this spring when the federal government issued guidance providing relief from certain benefits deadlines—including those related to COBRA continuation coverage—due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 national emergency. Then, it was assumed the emergency would end by June.
Many struggling but optimistic employers have continued to offer medical, dental, and other benefits to employees on furlough during the COVID-19 pandemic. But with no immediate end in sight, they’re wondering what to do next.
Recent federal agency guidance includes important information and extensions of various deadlines affecting employee benefit plans to include extensions of continuation coverage notice and election periods under COBRA.
The country is consumed with news of the spread of COVID-19, known as coronavirus. This has caused widespread concern for individuals, employers, and communities across the world. As employers try to manage the impact of coronavirus on their employees, several workplace-related issues arise.
Most employers are aware that the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires group health plans sponsored by covered employers to allow qualified beneficiaries to have “COBRA continuation coverage” in the event that they lose group health plan coverage for specified reasons.
In addition to making sure Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) election notices are sent to qualified beneficiaries on a timely basis, employers and plan administrators should ensure that the notices’ content satisfies the COBRA regulations. They should consider using the model COBRA election notice published by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which considers […]
When an employee is terminated from employment and loses group health plan coverage (subject to Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)), plan administrators should ensure that all qualified beneficiaries are sent, in a timely fashion, COBRA election notices. Plan administrators are not required to ensure actual receipt of the COBRA election notice, but a good-faith […]
When an employee is terminated due to “gross misconduct,” the termination is not considered a qualifying event, and an employer does not have to offer Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage to the ex-employee (or his or her covered spouse or dependents). Neither the statute, legislative history, nor regulations specifically define the term “gross […]
Question: If you offer a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) to your regular full time employees, are you obligated to offer the HRA to people that terminate and elect COBRA? If yes, can you charge the employee for the COBRA premium AND can you charge for a premium equivalent rate for the HRA (or administrative charge)?
A recent court opinion from the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals—which covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington—highlights the perils of not offering Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage to a former employee on the basis that the employee was terminated due to gross misconduct.