Healthcare Coverage When an Employee Returns to Work Part-Time as a Reasonable Accommodation

When an employee exhausts their statutory leave of absence but can only return to work on a limited basis, the employer may need to consider a part-time schedule as a reasonable accommodation. While a part-time schedule can help an employee return to work, it raises another practical question — does the employee remain eligible for healthcare coverage?

In our example, an employee that previously worked a full-time schedule has used all their available leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Now, the employee’s healthcare provider has provided a release for them to return to work for four hours per day, with the possibility of increasing hours later.