The Lehighton Area Council of the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce will hold its bi-monthly meeting on Nov. 10 at the Beacon 443 Restaurant.

The featured speakers will be Cliff Garr and Lauren Marie Raus from Paychex to speak concerning the new Mini-COBRA Act.What is "Mini-Cobra"? Mini-Cobra, or Act 2 of 2009, is a new law in Pennsylvania signed by Governor Edward G. Rendell on June 10, 2009 that gives employees of small businesses (2-19 employees) who receive health insurance from their employers the right to purchase continuation health insurance after they leave employment.It allows eligible employees and dependents to purchase health insurance for nine months after their employment ends.Do you have less than 20 employees? Do you offer health care benefits to those employees thru a company plan? Do you know what Mini-Cobra is, who is eligible, what a qualifying event is?Do you know what notices are required, the timetable for notices and elections? Do you know that Mini-Cobra now makes you responsible and liable to offer your qualified employees health benefits during their unemployment?This will be a very important presentation and will be an interactive session, please bring any and all questions. The meeting will begin with socializing and networking at 5:30 p.m. with the meal at 6 p.m. Contact Lehighton Area Council at (610) 377-2191 or e-mail at

lacc@ptd.net for reservations or questions.The meeting is open to all members of the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce.RSVP by Nov. 7.