Are employers required to offer health insurance to employees working overseas?

No, employers are not required to offer health insurance to employees working overseas in Washington. This is because federal and state employment benefits law is generally restricted to workers located within the US. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) applies only to US citizens and resident aliens, and the Washington State Health Protection Act (HPA) only applies to workers in Washington. For employees working overseas, employers must still comply with any employment contracts they have entered into related to insurance coverage. However, if no contract exists, then employers are generally not required to offer health insurance coverage to any employees located outside of the US. Employers should also be aware of legal requirements for foreign countries. Depending on the location, there may be certain laws which require employers to provide health insurance to any workers within that jurisdiction. Employers should research the laws in each country where they have employees to ensure they are complying with all applicable laws. Generally speaking, employers are not required to provide health insurance coverage to employees working overseas in Washington. However, they should be aware of any foreign laws that may apply. Employers should also review any existing contracts they have with those employees to ensure they are honoring those agreements.

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