Employer: why can’t my employees get insurance on the marketplace with a qualifying life event (new job)?

I am a small business employer, and I want to offer my employees a stipend for health insurance. I provide them 50% toward their premium. This way, they can choose a plan that fits their needs and their budget, and they can choose either a super pricey Cadillac plan or a really basic emergency planer. I have my accountant calculate the proper pre-tax amount so that they receive enough (or just a little more) post-tax to cover the 50% of their premium.

However, I have had not one but two employees tell me that they cannot sign up for a plan on the marketplace because it isn’t open enrollment. I was under the impression that a qualifying life event (like a job change) would allow you to sign up for a new plan. Isn’t that there not a setting or question to indicate that? Does it require an appeal process? I can’t see it on my own unless I go through the entire process of signing up on the marketplace?

Does anyone have any resources or guidance I could offer these employees, so I can make sure they get the coverage they need and not wait until open enrollment?

Thank you!

submitted by /u/blueberryGalette
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