The implementation of various mandates within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (often referred to as the “ACA” or “Obamacare”) – including some related to employers – continues to be delayed. Notably, the Obama administration recently announced that it was extending the deadline by which companies with between 50 and 99 full-time employees would be required to provide some minimum level of health insurance benefits – or else face a fine – to 2016. The administration had previously pushed back the deadline to 2015. Similarly, companies with more than 100 full-time employees will be required to provide minimum levels of insurance to 70% of their workforce by 2015, and 95% of their workforce by 2016 (as opposed to 95% in 2015, as was originally required). Employers with fewer than 50 employees are not required to provide any health insurance coverage.

Separately, under a recent Treasury Department order, employers will be required to certify in a self-attestation (on their federal tax forms) that they have not laid off workers as part of a plan to avoid the new ACA mandates.

Notwithstanding these delays, the implementation of the individual mandate requiring individuals to obtain health insurance – or else face a tax penalty – goes into effect this year.

Please contact Wright Beamer if you have any questions about the impact of the ACA on your business.