Must I now get health insurance from my employer?

Is my employer obligated to pay for health insurance? If no, can I get it thru new Corba stimulus plan?

• My company has been slowing down a lot. I am required to take mandatory time off since Jan. All employees have health insurance coverage from our employer. Now, I only work two days a week. My boss told me she is not required to give me health insurance by law as I work less than 30 hours a week. If this is the case, can I get health insurance coverage thru the new Stimulus law that was signed by Obama earlier? From what I know, those taxpayers qualifying as an “Assistance Eligible Individual” under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“2009 Recovery Act”) are able to pay a reduced premium equal to 35% of the original COBRA premium for up to nine months. The balance of the premium will be subsidized by the government.

• Answer:

  If you were enrolled on the insurance plan prior to your hours being cut, yes. If not, then no. If you were on the plan, you should be receiving your COBRA paperwork within the next 45 days. However, the subsidy only lasts for 9 months.