Blog: COBRA

The rules for how long COBRA coverage COULD* last are as follows:

• 18 months for termination or reduction in hours under FLSA or labor standards
• 29 months if a qualified beneficiary is disabled (per SSA determination) which may also trigger ADA or

COBRA administration involves a number of notice requirements and timelines, as well as a myriad of other COBRA rules. While anyone reading the COBRA rules can see that you have to identify QBs, send notices on a timely basis, etc., here are a couple of the specific issues that COBRA administrators must be aware of how to:

• Utilize the COBRA Timeline to your advantage
• How to offer COBRA during Open Enrollment

With regard to terminating COBRA coverage, the employer (or plan administrator) must send a COBRA termination notice to the qualified beneficiary that includes:

• The date COBRA coverage will end
• The reason for termination. Ensuring human resources compliance during this process is a key

Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), there are strict timelines for when employers, plan administrators, and qualified beneficiaries must provide or receive various notifications related to COBRA continuation coverage. These notices and timelines include:

• Voluntary or involuntary job loss
• Reduction in hours worked
• Transition between jobs
• Death in the family, divorce, and other life events

An employee informs you they need surgery and will be out of work for six weeks. This single event doesn't just trigger one HR process; it sets off a chain reaction across a landscape of complex federal laws. First, you have a request for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). As the employee recovers, they may need workplace adjustments, bringing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into play. If the employee ultimately decides to leave the company due to their condition, ...