Healthcare notices must be sent by Oct.1

By Oct. 1, 2013, any business with at least one employee and $500,000 in annual revenue must notify all employees by letter about the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare exchanges, which will open Jan. 1, 2014.

The requirement applies to any business regulated under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Going forward, letters must be distributed to any new hires within 14 days of their starting date.

The notice requirement applies to all employers, whether or not they offer health coverage. In addition, employers must send the notice to all full-time and part-time employees, whether or not they are eligible for benefits.

Earlier this summer, the employer mandate, which states that every business with at least 50 or more full-time employees must offer workers acceptable coverage or face a $2,000 penalty per worker, per year, was pushed back until 2015.

But the Oct. 1, 2013, employee-notification deadline remains in effect.

Sample notices are available on the Department of Labor website at: www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/FLSAwithplans.pdf (for employers that offer a health plan to some or all employees) www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/FLSAwithoutplans.pdf (for employers that do not offer a health plan)

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