If your furloughed, you remain an employee with the company and can return to your job when the company decides to reopen, however, you are not getting paid. It’s essentially a temporary, unpaid leave of absence. Most states, including NYS, allows furloughed employees to apply for unemployment insurance. Your employer is still allowed to maintain your employee benefits for you. If you contributed all or part of the premium towards these benefits before you were furloughed, you will need to continue paying your portion while you are not working. If your portion is not paid, your employer may need to cancel your coverage. Talk to your employer to make sure you understand, what amount you need to pay, if any, to ensure your coverage is maintained.
If you have been laid off, this means you have been terminated from employment with the company. With this scenario, you will receive the option to continue health benefits under the COBRA provision. Keep in mind, you will need to pay the entire cost, plus 2%. Your Cobra benefits will begin the day after your coverage ends. If you get re-hired, you would then re-apply for employee benefits. Due to the loss of income, some individuals may qualify for subsidy on the health insurance marketplace/exchange. If you would like assistance with purchasing insurance from the marketplace, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.