Beginning January 1, 2014, individuals and employees of small businesses will have access to health care coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Open enrollment of health insurance coverage through the Marketplace begins October 1, 2013. Under the ACA, Employers must provide a notice of coverage options to each employee, regardless of plan enrollment status or part-time or full-time status. Your employer clients are required to provide notice to existing employees not later than October 1, 2013 and new employees at the time of hiring beginning October 1, 2013.

  
The Department of Labor has developed model notice language which is available on the Department’s website: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform/. There is one model notification for employers who do not offer a health plan and another for employers who offer a health plan to some or all employees. Employers may use one of these models, or a modified version provided that the notice meets the content requirements outlined in the model notifications.

 
The notice to employees must be provided in writing either electronically or via first-class mail.

 
Additional information regarding your client’s obligations to provide notice to Employees of Coverage Options go to http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/tr13-02.html.