Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, most employers are required to provide one of two notices to all employees. Guidance was provided to employers by the US Department of Labor (DOL) in Technical Release No. 2013-02, Guidance on the Notice to Employees of Coverage Options under Fair Labor Standards Act §18B and Updated Model Election Notice under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985.

Employers Required to Provide the Notice

Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are subject to the notice requirements. US DOL Wage and Hour Division (WHD) Fact Sheet #14 provides information on who is covered by the FLSA.

All Employees Must Receive Notice

All employees, including part-time employees and employees not eligible to participate, must receive a notice.

Two Model Notices Are Available

The DOL has prepared and made available two model notices, one for employers that offer health insurance to their employees and one for employers that do not offer health insurance to their employees. An employer would only provide one type of notice to all employees, regardless of whether the individual employee is eligible for health insurance.

Deadline is October 1, 2013

Employers must provide the notice on or before October 1, 2013 to all current employees hired before October 1, 2013. Employees hired after September 30, 2013 must be provided the notice at the time of hiring. For 2014, the DOL will consider notices provided within fourteen days of an employee’s start date as provided at the time of hiring.

Multiple Delivery Methods Available

Employers  may hand deliver the notices, mail them by first-class mail, or by e-mail if the requirements of the DOL’s electronic disclosure safe harbor at 29 CFR 2520.104b-1(c) are met.

Contact Vision Payroll for Further Information

Contact Vision Payroll if you have further questions on the notice to employees of coverage options required under the ACA.