24-A §2804-B. Group disability income protection plan

An employer may offer its employees an employer-sponsored group disability income protection plan in accordance with the requirements of section 2804 . As used in this section, "disability income protection plan" means a group short-term disability policy or a group long-term disability policy instituted by an employer that provides income benefits to an employee who is unable to work for an extended period of time because of sickness or an accident. For the purpose of Title 26, section 629, subsection 1 , the premium paid by an employee for an employer-sponsored group disability income protection plan issued pursuant to this section is considered a premium that the employee has agreed to pay if the group disability income protection plan provides for appropriate disclosure regarding the plan chosen by the employer, a method of enrollment that allows employees to opt out of coverage and an appropriate time period for employees to voluntarily terminate coverage. An employee must be provided information regarding the employer-sponsored group disability income protection plan at least 30 days prior and a 2nd time at least 10 days prior to the initial payroll deduction of that employee's premiums. The information provided must include a statement of the employee's right to opt out of coverage, the process by which the employee may exercise the right to opt out of coverage and any deadline to opt out of coverage. [PL 2015, c. 490, §1 (NEW).]