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Reminder: Chicago Employers Must Comply with City’s Harassment Training Requirements by June 30th Deadline

As previously reported by the Fast Laner, employers with one or more employees in the City of Chicago that are subject to Chicago licensing requirements or that maintain a business facility within City limits, must meet the...more

City of Chicago Significantly Expands Paid Leave Requirements Starting December 31, 2023

On November 9, 2023, the Chicago City Council passed the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance (Ordinance). This new Ordinance replaces the prior Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinance. The Ordinance provides covered...more

New Illinois Commuter Benefit Requirement Effective January 2024

Effective January 1, 2024, Illinois “covered employers” will be required to provide “covered employees” the opportunity to pay for commuter passes on a pre-tax basis pursuant to the Transportation Benefits Program Act (the...more

Employers Face Another Annual Disclosure for their Group Health Plan Related to the No Surprises Act: “Gag Clauses”

The No Surprises Act (the NSA) bans “gag clauses” that prevent disclosure of price or quality information in agreements between health plans and certain service providers. In addition, the NSA requires plan sponsors to attest...more

Reminder: Deadline for Prescription Drug and Certain Medical Claim Reporting is December 27, 2022

The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) established new transparency requirements for group health plans to report specific information about prescription drugs and health care spending to the Centers of Medicaid and...more

Plan Administrators of Retirement Plans Need to Prepare for New IRS Pre-Examination Compliance Pilot Program

On June 3, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a new pilot program aimed at qualified retirement plan compliance. Pursuant to the program, the IRS will issue a letter to the plan administrator which provides a...more

Group Health Plans Must Now Cover Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests

Pursuant to recent federal guidance, group health plans and insurers must now cover over-the-counter COVID-19 tests without cost-sharing, prior authorization or other medical management requirements effective January 15,...more

Employee Benefit Issues for Employers to Consider at the Year End and for the Coming New Year

Each year, employers are faced with a number of year end deadlines related to employee benefits as well as new requirements facing them in the coming year. This article is meant to provide a brief summary of those issues....more

Federal Regulators Clarify the Application of HIPAA Privacy and Nondiscrimination Rules to COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplace

On September 30, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued FAQs addressing how the HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to individuals’ disclosures of their COVID-19 vaccination status in the workplace and health...more

What Employers Need to Consider When Implementing Vaccine Incentives or Surcharges Through a Wellness Program

When the vaccines became widely available this past spring, employers contemplated offering incentives such as cash payments, extra paid time off and discounts on health insurance premiums to entice employees to get...more

Reminder: Employers Have Until September 15 to Issue COBRA Subsidy Termination Notices

As previously reported, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides for government-subsidized COBRA payments for a COBRA qualified beneficiary who becomes eligible for COBRA due to a reduction in hours or involuntary...more

DOL Issues Implementation FAQs Regarding the Lifetime Income Illustrations for Defined Contribution Plans

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) amended the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to add two lifetime income illustrations, furnished at least annually, to plan...more

New IRS Guidance Offers Employers Direction regarding COBRA Subsidy Obligations

As we previously reported, the recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) includes a six-month COBRA premium subsidy whereby the federal government subsidizes 100% of the COBRA premium during the period of April...more

New DOL Guidance and Model Notices Assist Employers with Their New COBRA Subsidy Obligations

As we previously reported, the recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) includes a six-month COBRA premium subsidy whereby the federal government subsidizes 100% of the COBRA premium during the period of April...more

Employers Need to Be Aware of their Obligations Related to the COBRA Subsidy Under the New Federal Stimulus Legislation

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion dollar stimulus package, known as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), into law. In order to assist employees with the cost of health coverage, ARPA includes...more

With New Guidance, IRS Extends Cafeteria Plan Election Flexibility Into 2021

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2021-15 to clarify certain aspects of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 (the Act), and to extend cafeteria plan election flexibility in 2021...more

Recent Changes in Employee Benefits to Consider in 2021

We recently highlighted the employee benefits provisions that accompanied the latest COVID-19 relief law as part of our summary of that Act. This article addresses some of the other recent employee benefits-related changes...more

IRS Issues Guidance on President Trump’s Payroll Tax Deferral Executive Order

On August 8, 2020, President Trump issued an Executive Order to the Secretary of Treasury directing the Department to defer the obligation of employers to withhold, deposit, and pay the employee share of Social Security...more

DOL Publishes Helpful New Electronic Disclosure Rules for Retirement Plans

Embracing 21st century technology, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently published a final rule that provides a new safe harbor for electronic distribution of disclosures to retirement plan participants and...more

The IRS Gives New Meaning to an “Election Year” by Significantly Increasing Cafeteria Plan Mid-Year Election Change Options

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2020-29 and Notice 2020-33 to provide relief for employees participating in a Section 125 cafeteria plan.  Although temporary, the changes will provide employees...more

New Federal Guidance Extends Many Employee Benefit-Related Deadlines and Provides Additional Relief for Plan Administrators

Pursuant to authority granted under the CARES Act, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued joint guidance on April 28, 2020, extending a number of election periods and deadlines prescribed...more

Providing Employee Benefits During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As employers grapple with the many issues related to responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses and employees, employee benefit issues can sometimes fall through the cracks. The information below is...more

President Signs the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security "CARES" Act

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed $2.2 trillion stimulus package known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The update below focuses on provisions in the CARES Act that are...more

SECURE Act Brings Many Retirement Plan Changes

On December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) was signed into law. The SECURE Act is one of the most significant pieces of legislation impacting retirement plans in...more

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