Mark Mazur, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the U.S. Department of Treasury, announced in a blog post this afternoon that the Employer Mandate “Play or Pay” provision of the Affordable Care Act will be delayed one year.
There are two reasons for delaying this provision: 1) allow more time to consider new ways to simplify employer reporting requirements, and 2) provide more time to create a mechanism to enforce this aspect of the law.
2014 will be a year for employers, subject to the mandate, to transition effectively. Formal guidance for this transition relief is expected this week.