Federal agencies are giving employers up to 12 months to decide whether some workers with irregular hours put in enough hours to be eligible for group health benefits.
Agencies give the rules for the 12-month “measurement period” in a batch of final rules implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) 90-day waiting period limitation.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) developed the regulations together with the Internal Revenue Service and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
The regulations are set to appear in the Federal Register Monday.
Under PPACA, employers that want to get credit for providing group health coverage most start coverage for most full-time workers within 90 days after the workers go to work.
Agencies created the measurement period system to help employers of workers with schedules that can change from week to week.
To use a 12-month measurement period, an employer must start coverage for an affected employee who turns out to be eligible for coverage within 13 months from the employee’s start date.