H&W: Shared Responsibility for Employers Delayed

Shared Responsibility for Employers Delayed Until 2014: The Administration has delayed the shared responsibility for employers provision of the ACA (Play or Pay Mandate) until 2015. Originally scheduled to become effective for plan years beginning in 2014, this provision requires employers with 50 or more “full-time equivalents” to offer their full-time employees essential, affordable coverage that provides minimum value. Applicable employers that do not meet this standard can be subject to a penalty.

The delay also applies to reporting requirements associated with this provision.  The individual mandate; however, remains in effect.

In its announcement, the Administration said that within the next week it will publish formal guidance describing this transition. We will update the dashboard accordingly when this information is released.