[§393-13]  Liability for payment of premium;
withholding; recovery of premium.  Unless an applicable collective
bargaining agreement specifies differently every employer shall contribute at
least one-half of the premium for the coverage required by this chapter and the
employee shall contribute the balance; provided that in no case shall the
employee contribute more than 1.5 per cent of the employee's wages; and
provided that if the amount of the employee's contribution is less than
one-half of the premium, the employer shall be liable for the whole remaining
portion of the premium.



The employer shall withhold the employee's
share from the employee's wages with respect to pay periods as specified by the
director.



If an employee separates from the employee's
employment after the employee's employer has prepaid the employee's share of
the cost of providing health care coverage, the employer may deduct an amount
not to exceed one-half of the premium cost but without regard to the 1.5 per
cent limitation, from the last salary or wages due the employee, or seek other
appropriate means to recover the premium. [L 1974, c 210, pt of §1; am L 1976,
c 206, §1; gen ch 1985]