Understanding New Hire Waiting Periods 

A new hire waiting period is the amount of time an employee must wait before becoming eligible for your group health insurance coverage. This waiting period is determined by your company at the time the policy is set up. Under federal law, the maximum waiting period for group health coverage is 90 days. 

It is important to administer your waiting period correctly and enroll employees on time. If an eligible employee is not enrolled within their required timeframe, they may have to wait until the next Open Enrollment period to obtain coverage. This can leave the employee without benefits longer than intended, which is not fair to them and may create compliance concerns for your company. To avoid delays or issues: 

• Track hire dates carefully
• Monitor eligibility dates
• Submitenrollments promptly 

If you have questions about your group’s waiting period or need help reviewing your process, please contact Leslie Hurd with VantagePointe Benefit Solutions at [email protected] or call (877) 762-4873.