Assumptions that turn into coverage gaps.
- "Coverage starts on my first day."
- "I have 30 days, like at my last job."
- "Once I submit, I'm covered."
- "My old plan will carry me until this one starts."
- "I can add my dependents later."
Day one. The hire date starts employment. Coverage starts when the plan's rules say it does.
The 30-day habit. Deadlines from a past employer or an old handbook don't apply. Give the date this plan sets.
Submitted isn't enrolled. Coverage depends on the enrollment being accepted, so confirm it.
The bridge. If prior coverage ends before yours begins, the employee needs to know now.
Dependents. Dependent details and required documents are part of a complete election, and the complete election is what must arrive by the deadline.
Cover four things in the first conversation.
Dates, in writing
Hire date, election deadline, coverage start.
The election deadline is when the completed enrollment and any required information must arrive. The coverage start date is when accepted coverage takes effect. Put both in writing.
Cost per paycheck
Their share, not the premium.
Give the employee's own cost for each coverage level, taken from your contribution setup rather than estimated.
Who they can add
Dependents, documents, beneficiaries.
Check dependents and any required documents before submission, along with beneficiary fields where the plan has them.
Who to ask
A name, not a mailbox.
Book a benefits conversation when it suits their schedule, shift workers included. For client teams, our live virtual, group and one-on-one employee education is at no extra fee, new hires included.
A welcome note that sets the dates.
Sample note to employees: "Welcome to [company]. Here are the dates that matter for your benefits. Your enrollment choices, including dependent information and any documents, need to be completed by [deadline]. Once accepted, your coverage starts [date]. If your current coverage ends before then, tell us now so you have time to look at your options. You can compare plans and enroll at [Employee Navigator link]. To talk it through, book a time with [contact]."
Fill every bracket from the plan's actual rules, not last year's timeline.
Flag the gap before it opens.
When prior coverage ends before yours begins, raise it in the first conversation. They might compare continuation coverage from the previous job, a spouse's plan or Marketplace coverage. Every option has separate eligibility rules and deadlines, so describe them without promising any will be available.
Eligibility rules and ACA measurement are two different questions, and the real setup deserves a review. Our ACA compliance page covers the employer side.
What to have ready, and when to call us.
Have this ready for every hire
The eligibility rule and waiting period in writing. The SBC and plan summary for each plan. Employee Navigator, which is available and customized at no extra cost for group clients who want it. Your admins, trained by us, add hires and terminations themselves. A secure way to share confirmations and dependent details.
Call us when
The election went in, but the carrier doesn't show the employee by the start date. Payroll deductions don't match the election. You're unsure whether a part-time, variable-hour or rehired employee is eligible. We handle carrier changes, so send them to us. An entry in the enrollment platform starts the process; it doesn't replace checking the carrier record and the first payroll deduction.
What HR asks us about new hires.
How long can we make new hires wait for coverage?
Under federal rules, a waiting period can't run past 90 days after someone is otherwise eligible. Within that limit, it has to match your plan documents and carrier rules, so confirm it before it goes into an offer letter.
Does a variable-hour new hire follow the same timeline?
Not necessarily. For an applicable large employer, a new hire expected to work full-time, and not seasonal, is assessed month by month, while new variable-hour, part-time or seasonal employees can be measured over an initial period of 3 to 12 months. Not sure whether you're one? Start with our full-time equivalent calculator.
We rehired someone. Are they a new hire for benefits?
For ACA measurement, an employee who returns after 13 or more consecutive weeks with no hours of service can be treated as new, and an optional rule of parity covers some shorter breaks. Your plan's own eligibility rules apply too, so check both before giving dates.
What if a new hire misses the election deadline?
Check the plan documents before you tell them anything, and call us in case the dates or records are off. If they have a life event later in the year, our qualifying life events guide explains mid-year changes.
Official references.
The U.S. Department of Labor explains the 90-day waiting period limit and answers common questions on HIPAA portability and special enrollment. General information, not legal or tax advice.
Make the first weeks simpler.
Tell us your waiting period and payroll setup, and we'll map the steps from offer letter to first claim.