COBRA Benefits

If you have 20 or more employees, you are subject to a law known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, better known as COBRA. COBRA requires employers to offer individuals who would otherwise lose benefit protection the option of continuing to have group health care plan coverage.

And, if you are subject to COBRA, familiarize yourself with the basics of the law, including:

• which employees are eligible for COBRA
• which benefits are covered by COBRA
• what events trigger COBRA coverage
• what your communications duties are
• who pays for COBRA
• administrative issues associated with COBRA

State law. Individual states may also have COBRA-like laws. In recent years this has been a particularly active area of state law, so be sure to check yours to be certain you are in compliance.