ACA Compliance
Small Employer Options
Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees are not subject to the ACA's employer mandate — but they still have options and considerations. Small employers can access the SHOP marketplace, qualify for tax credits, and offer group coverage without the penalty exposure that ALEs face.
ACA Compliance
What You Need to Know About Small Employer Options
No Employer Mandate
Small employers under the 50-FTE threshold have no legal obligation to offer health insurance under the ACA. This doesn't mean offering coverage isn't the right business decision — it means the compliance framework is different and the penalty structure doesn't apply.
Small Business Health Care Tax Credit
Small employers with fewer than 25 FTEs and average wages below a threshold may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to 50% of employer-paid premiums — if coverage is purchased through the SHOP marketplace. The credit phases out as FTE count and average wages increase.
Grandfathered and Grandmothered Plans
Some small group plans in existence before specific ACA effective dates operate under different rules. Understanding whether any existing plan is grandfathered or grandmothered — and what protections and limitations come with that status — is part of small employer compliance.