Can My Employer Make Me Wait Before Enrolling Me In The Company's Health Plan? When Is My Employer Allowed To Take Me Off Of The Plan?

Insurance begins when you meet the eligibility requirements of the health insurance plan. An employer­sponsored plan is allowed to have a waiting period, which is the time that must pass before an employee or dependent is eligible to enroll under the terms of the plan. You also may be required to work a specified number of hours a week to be eligible for enrollment. Insurance can end whenever you cease to fulfill the eligibility requirements of your plan. Generally, insurance coverage ends on the last day of work or the end of the month in which you last worked. The conditions for beginning and ending coverage must be in writing in your plan booklet or Summary Plan description. For more information about your rights in your employer`s benefit plans you can go to the U.S. Department of labor`s Website https://www.dol.gov/dol/pwba, or call their Publication Hotline at: 1­800­998­7542.