(A) (1) The continuation coverage mandated by the federal law commonly known as COBRA does not apply because the village does not have 20 or more employees. However, the state currently has what is known as a Mini-COBRA Law, which allows health insurance benefits to be continued for up to 12 months after the termination of employment or after an employee suffers a reduction in hours resulting in a loss of coverage under the group health plan. The premium for continuation coverage must be paid by the employee, but it may not exceed the group rate.
(2) To be eligible, the employee must have been continuously covered under the group health plan for three months. Continuation coverage is also available for spouses and dependents who have been continuously covered under the group health plan for three months.
(B) In addition, the state has a Spousal Law and a Dependent Child Law, which allow health insurance benefits to be continued for spouses and/or dependent children following a qualifying event, which may be the retirement, death, or divorce of an employee, or which may be the age at which coverage is no longer provided for a dependent under the group health plan. In these situations, written notice of the qualifying event and a request for continuation coverage should be given to the village within 30 days of the event. The village will forward the written notice to the group health insurance company.
(Ord. 17-O-06, passed 3-7-2017; Ord. 2020-O-15, passed 8-18-2020; Ord. 2021-O-5, passed 5-4-2021)