The scheduling modifications employers have made in response to COVID may have unintentional consequences for the employees' group health plan eligibility for both the remainder of the current year.

COVID-19 has forced many employers to make unanticipated changes to their workforce, with many retailers rolling out a combination of furloughs, layoffs, and breaks in service to address changing market demands and shelter-in-place orders. Other retailers, particularly in grocery and online markets, saw an unplanned spike in demand, and went on a hiring binge and increased their existing employees' hours to ensure they remained adequately staffed.

These scheduling modifications may have unintentional consequences for the employees' group health plan eligibility for both the remainder of the current year and into the next plan year unless employers review and make necessary revisions to their group health plans.