HB680: HB680 Labor and industrial relations; prohibit certain employers that do not provide affordable health insurance benefits from requiring certain employees to provide a doctor's note when absent from work

25 LC 52 0752 House Bill 680 By: Representatives Sanchez of the 42nd, Tran of the 80th, Au of the 50th, Clark of the 108th, Schofield of the 63rd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial1 relations, so as to prohibit certain employers that do not provide affordable health insurance2 benefits from requiring certain employees to provide a doctor's note when absent from work;3 to provide for definitions; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters;4 to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 SECTION 1.7 Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations,8 is amended in Chapter 1, relating to general provisions, by adding a new Code section to read9 as follows:10 "34-1-11.11 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:12 (1) 'Affordable health insurance benefits' means the least exp ensive health insurance13 benefits where the cost of self-only coverage does not exceed 9.02 percent of the area's14 median annual household income where the employee resides.15 H. B. 680 - 1 - 25 LC 52 0752 (2) 'Employee' means an individual who works for salary, wages, or other remuneration16 for an employer for at least 20 hours per week and has worked for such employer for at17 least 31 days.18 (3) 'Employer' means any individual or entity that employs six or more employees.19 (4) 'Health insurance benefits' means a health insurance plan or similar product that an20 employer offers to an employee and is designed to provide cover age for healthcare21 services. Such term includes, but is not limited to, a group h ealth plan, health22 reimbursement arrangement, or wellness stipend.23 (b) An employer that does not provide affordable health insura nce benefits shall not24 require an employee to provide a doctor's note or other documen tation of a healthcare25 service when such employee is absent from work.26 (c) The department shall adopt rules and regulations for the purpose of implementing the27 provisions of this Code section."28 SECTION 2.29 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.30 H. B. 680 - 2 -