1997 WISCONSIN ACT 51
An Act to amend 109.07 (1m); and to create 601.41 (7) of the statutes; relating to: requiring the office of the commissioner of insurance to provide information and technical assistance to employes and former employes who lose health care coverage.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
51,1
Section 1
. 109.07 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
109.07 (1m) Subject to sub. (5) or (6), an employer who has decided upon a business closing or mass layoff in this state shall promptly notify the subunit of the department that administers s. 106.15, any affected employe, any collective bargaining representative of any affected employe, and the highest official of any municipality in which the affected employment site is located, in writing of such action no later than 60 days prior to the date that the business closing or mass layoff takes place. The employer shall provide in writing all information concerning its payroll, affected employes and the wages and other remuneration owed to such employes as the department may require. The department may in addition require the employer to submit a plan setting forth the manner in which final payment in full shall be made to affected employes. The department shall promptly provide a copy of the notice required under this subsection to the department of commerce and to the office of the commissioner of insurance and shall cooperate with the department of commerce in the performance of its responsibilities under s. 560.15 and with the office of the commissioner of insurance in the performance of its responsibilities under s. 601.41 (7). This subsection does not apply to a business closing or mass layoff that is caused by a strike or lockout.
51,2
Section
2. 601.41 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
601.41 (7) Information and technical assistance to employes and former employes who lose health care coverage. The commissioner shall provide to employes and former employes who lose health care coverage under a group health insurance plan or self-insured health plan information and technical assistance regarding all of the following:
(a) Any rights that the individuals may have under state or federal laws affecting health benefit plans, including laws that relate to portability, continuation coverage, as defined in s. 252.16 (1) (a), or conversion coverage under s. 632.897.
(b) The availability of individual health benefit plans in the area in which the individual resides.
