Health Insurance for employees

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What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TEXAS

I am a partner in a business in Texas and we have 100% employer sponsored health insurance for the owners families. Are we required to offer this to all new full time employees?

If so, can we offer a new employee the choice of $30,000 per year fixed salary with 100% employer sponsored health insurance, or $36,000 per year without insurance. Would this get us in legal trouble?

If we must pay for their insurance 100% are we required to offer it to them and their families or just the employee. Remember we already have it for the partners families as employee with family.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

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How does the policy define an eligible employee?

Even if you offer it to them, you don't have to pay 100% of the premiums for all employees. Any differences just can't be based on things like race or gender.

 

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What is the definition of an eligible employee in the plan document?

If you are asking what the law says, the law does not require that you offer health insurance to any employee, part time or full time, just because it is offered to the owners; if you do choose to offer it to some or all employees, there is no requirement that you offer it to dependents.

You can legally offer insurance to some, but not all, employees as long as the distinction made is not by a characteristic protected by law. In other words, it would be legal to offer insurance to full time employees but not part time employees; to office employees but not shop employees; to managers on up but not supervisors on down; etc. It would NOT be legal to offer it to male employees but not female employees; to Caucasion employees but not Hispanic employees; to Christian employees but not Jewish employees, etc.

However, you MUST offer insurance to any employee at all who meets the eligibility requirements as defined by your policy.