Corporate Equality Index: When must benefits be effective to qualify?
Employers typically negotiate insurance plans annually (typically to be effective January 1 each year) and generally must provide advance notice and open enrollment to all eligible employees. The HRC Foundation recognizes that employers may not be able to negotiate and fully implement benefits changes in time for the survey deadline (typically June 30 of each year).
As a result, the HRC Foundation requires employers to provide notice of benefits changes to its employees prior to the release of the report (typically on or around September 1 of each year), and the benefits must be effective no later than January 1 of the following calendar year. The report, and employer rating, acknowledge the negotiated benefits and serve as a resource for current and potential employees to understand what benefits are available.
