Pittsburgh Labor and Employment Attorney David Laurent Quoted on 'Mini-COBRA' in Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal

David J. Laurent, a shareholder in the Labor and Employment Section of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney's Pittsburgh office, was quoted an a September 1, 2009, article published by the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal. The article, titled "'Mini Cobra' unleashed in June; small employers must comply," discussed "mini-COBRA" — "a new state law that now gives employees of smaller employers a similar right [as COBRA does] to purchase continuation of group health coverage provided by the employer's plan."

The article discussed how in June Pennsylvania became the 40th state in the nation to enact "mini-COBRA" legislation.

Laurent commented on who is eligible for "mini-COBRA," saying, "[T]his new law eliminates an inequity that was created earlier this when Congress amended the federal COBRA rules. By passing this law, Pennsylvania created an opportunity for the employees of small employers to be eligible for the 65 percent subsidy."

He went onto say that the law will not be entirely painless for employers. "It will require an employer to absorb certain minor administrative expenses, such as those associated with issuing certain notices, collecting premiums and forwarding the premiums to the insurance carrier," Laurent explained. "Also, by permitting an employee to remain part of the group coverage, the employer is exposed to the risk that a former employee may incur a large claim that could adversely affect the employer's rates going forward."