RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Maryland's "fair share" law requiring employers to offer health coverage or pay a fee to Medicaid was argued in federal appeals court this week.
A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit heard state attorneys' arguments on behalf of the law, which was struck down by a lower court that found it in violation of federal ERISA laws limiting state regulation of employee benefits, the Baltimore Sun reported.
The bill, which would require companies with more than 10,000 workers to spend the equivalent of at least 8 percent of their payroll for employee healthcare or pay into a state healthcare fund, would affect only retail giant Wal-Mart, because the state's three other large employers already fulfill the criteria.
The state's attorneys argued in their appeal that the law does not mandate benefits because Wal-Mart could fulfill its obligation under the law in a variety of ways including establishing low-cost employee clinics and simply paying into the state healthcare fund.
Appeals courts can take several weeks to issue a decision after hearing oral arguments.
