Which is NOT considered a characteristic of a noncontributory group health insurance plan?

In a noncontributory group health insurance plan, one defining characteristic is that the employer pays all premiums. This means that employees do not contribute anything towards the cost of the insurance, which encourages broader enrollment and simplifies the participation process.

The requirement for employee participation is not applicable in noncontributory plans. In fact, noncontributory plans typically do not require employees to pay any portion of the premium; therefore, they may be enrolled automatically unless they opt out. This contrasts with contributory plans, where both the employer and employees share the premium costs, often necessitating a minimum participation percentage from employees to ensure the plan's viability.

Additionally, in a noncontributory plan, there's usually no minimum participation requirement stipulated, as the employer often bears the entire cost. This can lead to consistent coverage for all employees regardless of their participation, as enrollment tends to be higher when employees are not financially invested.

Therefore, the statement indicating that employee participation is required is not characteristic of a noncontributory group health insurance plan and is the correct answer.