On January 6, 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) published new Paid Family and Medical Leave (MAPFML) regulations (the 2023 Regulations). These regulations make changes to Section 458 CMR...more
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (the “Department”) has announced that, effective January 1, 2023, the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (MAPFML) contribution rate for employers with 25 or...more
In a previous post, we reported on the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization which reversed Roe v. Wade, and renders a woman’s right to make decisions regarding, and seek medical treatment...more
7/14/2022
/ Abortion ,
Affordable Care Act ,
COBRA ,
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
HRA ,
ICHRA ,
MHPAEA ,
Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Plan (QSEHRAs) ,
Roe v Wade ,
SCOTUS ,
Travel ,
Travel Reimbursements
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) recently posted proposed changes to its Paid Family and Medical Leave (MAPFML) regulations. For the time being, these changes are presented as a “draft markup”,...more
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (the “Department”) has issued a number of changes relating to the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (“MAPFML”) since their last quarterly briefing. A number...more
Happy New Year! While many of us are thrilled to see 2020 in the rear view, 2021 ushers in a huge challenge for Massachusetts employers – the beginning of benefits and Job protections under the Massachusetts Paid Family and...more
The Department of Family and Medical Leave (the “Department”) has provided several updates and reminders to Massachusetts employers and employees regarding Massachusetts’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (“PFML”), and we want...more
Earlier this spring, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (the “Department”) issued revised regulations for Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (“MAPFML”). The regulations impact employers...more
Under the Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Law, M.G.L. c. 175M (“MAPFML”), employees and other covered individuals in the Commonwealth will be entitled to a generous set of new leave benefits and rights beginning January 1,...more
In a previous post, we covered the impact of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) on employee welfare benefit plans, programs, and arrangements. This post explains how this new law affects...more
On April 11, 2020, the Departments of Labor (“DOL”), Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and the Treasury (collectively, “the Departments”) issued a set of FAQs intended to assist stakeholders grappling with the provisions of...more
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) is the third significant piece of federal legislation recently enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest law follows the Coronavirus...more
Given the possible health impacts of COVID-19, maintaining access to health care and insurance coverage is front of the mind for just about everyone. Continuation coverage under COBRA offers employees a route to continue...more
401(k) plans must, by law, limit the circumstances under which plan money can be withdrawn by active employees. However, 401(k) plans can (and most do) allow in-service withdrawals in the event of an employee’s financial...more
In response to COVID-19, Massachusetts has directed health insurance carriers to, among other things, relax cost-sharing and enhance telemedicine services. These directives are part of the Commonwealth’s package of efforts...more
On March 12, 2020, the IRS issued notice 2020-15, providing that a health plan will not fail to be a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) merely because it provides testing for and treatment of COVID-19 without a deductible or...more
Under the new Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law, M.G.L c. 175M (“MAPFML”), employees and other covered individuals in the Commonwealth will be entitled to a generous set of new paid family and medical leave...more
Under the new Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Law, M.G.L c. 175M (“MAPFML”), employees and other covered individuals in the Commonwealth will be entitled to a generous set of new paid leave benefits and rights beginning...more
In an Executive Order issued on June 24, 2019, President Trump directed several agencies to address a number of health care related matters through regulation. This post discusses Section 6 of the Executive Order, which takes...more
Under the new Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Law, M.G.L c. 175M (“MAPFML”) employees and other covered individuals in the Commonwealth will be entitled to a generous set of new leave benefits and rights beginning January 1,...more
On the heels of the welcome news that employers have three more months to prepare for Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (“MAPFML”), last week the Massachusetts Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave (the...more
The wait is over. Earlier today, June 18, 2019 (and earlier than the July 1, 2019 due date), the Department of Family and Medical Leave (the Department) issued much-anticipated final regulations for the new Massachusetts Paid...more
Employers in the Commonwealth are fast discovering that the new Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Law, M.G.L c. 175M (“MAPFML”), which begins to phase into effect June 30, 2019, asks much of employers, both administratively...more
5/23/2019
/ Covered Entities ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Contributions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exemptions ,
Governor Baker ,
Medical Leave ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Leave ,
Proposed Regulation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
On February 25, 2019 the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (the “Departments”) published a request for information (the “ROI”) on grandfathered...more
When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed some nine years ago, many employers wondered what would become of COBRA (aka, the continuation coverage requirements of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of...more