On Labor Day fifty years ago, September 2, 1974, President Ford signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) into law. It is a combination of tax and labor law incorporating trust law like fiduciary...more
After nearly three years of emergency measures related to COVID-19, the U.S. government acted this spring to officially end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and the National Emergency. Accordingly, the Departments of...more
We previously wrote about President Biden’s announcement to end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and National Emergency (NE) periods on May 11, 2023, and the practical ramifications for employer group health plan...more
The Biden administration has announced its intention to end the COVID-19 National Emergency (NE) and the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023 (read our series introduction for more information)....more
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Act) provides certain COVID-19-related relief, including temporary additional flexibility regarding flexible spending accounts (FSAs). Employers have several practical considerations...more
The IRS recently issued Notice 2020-29, allowing §125 cafeteria plans and high-deductible health plan (HDHP) changes during the remainder of 2020....more
Employers are trying to be as generous as possible during the interruption to normal operations caused by COVID-19, including by keeping benefits in place even when salaries are out of the question. Every penny and decision...more
Effective January 1, 2020, employers may put aside pre-tax funds into a health reimbursement arrangement (“HRA”) that can be used by an employee to pay for premiums and other out-of-pocket costs related to the purchase of an...more
One of the hottest benefit trends in 2017 is the adoption of free or low-cost “telemedicine” programs to provide employees easy and affordable access to medical care. However, you need to proceed with caution when introducing...more
The IRS recently released the final forms and instructions for information reporting under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”). The final forms and instructions will be used for reporting in 2016 concerning 2015 coverage. The...more
Editor's Overview - As the summer draws to a close, this month's Newsletter previews three cases that the U.S. Supreme Court already has agreed to hear that ought to be of particular interest to ERISA plan sponsors and...more
What do all of these acronyms stand for and why do employers and human resource professionals care? These acronyms stand for statutory requirements which apply to employer-provided health plans and stiff penalties can apply...more
As discussed in our March 20, 2013 Legal Alert – Health Care Reform’s Large Employer Play or Pay Penalties: A Checklist for Employers, large employers will be subject to a penalty tax if they either: (1) fail to offer...more
Laws Providing Leaves of Absence - Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - The FMLA, as relevant here, requires covered employers to provide eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave due to a serious...more