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Family and Medical Leave Act Advisor

Glossary of Terms Used in the FMLA


Group health plan means any plan of, or contributed to by, an employer (including a self insured plan) to provide health care (directly or otherwise) to the employer’s employees, former employees, or the families of such employees or former employees. For purposes of FMLA the term “group health plan” shall not include an insurance program providing health coverage under which employees purchase individual policies from insurers provided that:

  1. No contributions are made by the employer;
  2. Participation in the program is completely voluntary for employees;
  3. The sole functions of the employer with respect to the program are, without endorsing the program, to permit the insurer to publicize the program to employees, to collect premiums through payroll deductions and to remit them to the insurer;
  4. The employer receives no consideration in the form of cash or otherwise in connection with the program, other than reasonable compensation, excluding any profit, for administrative services actually rendered in connection with payroll deduction; and,
  5. The premium charged with respect to such coverage does not increase in the event the employment relationship terminates.

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