Today, we will again discuss the health care reform and what the changes require you to do. Last week, we talked about how the employer mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act would be delayed until 2015. Many provisions of the law are still on track, however. One provision requires that all employers provide notices to employees by October 1st, 2013, which explain how the Health Insurance Marketplace works and where employees can get more information. The Marketplace is the new name for the state based exchanges and it will be the tool that people use to find insurance that meets their care needs as well as their budget. Providing the notice to employees by October 1st is a requirement for all employers that are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (which is almost all employers). It is required even if your company has less than 50 full-time employees and even if your company does not currently offer health insurance. The notice must be provided to both part-time and full-time employees by October 1st. All new hires must receive the notice within two weeks of their start date. Two sections of the notice must be completed by the employer, including a section on who to contact within the organization regarding health coverage and a section on whether or not each employee is eligible for the health coverage the company offers (if coverage is offered). A model notice has been issued by the Department of Labor and can be found at www.dol.gov.