Group health plans and health insurance issuers are now required to cover the cost of over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Last week, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury issued...more
1/19/2022
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Compliance Dates ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health Insurance ,
New Guidance ,
Reimbursements ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virus Testing
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by David Burton, a partner with the firm’s Labor, Employment and Immigration section who shares some answers to frequently asked questions...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt reminds us that with priorities focused on taking care of pandemic employees and plan participants, plan administrators may need some extra clean-up...more
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt explores compliance considerations for employers who are considering imposing a health insurance surcharge on plan participants who are not...more
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARPA), signed into law this spring, included premium relief to certain COBRA-qualified beneficiaries that is set to expire September 30, 2021. ...more
As described in our previous alert, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARPA), provides a full subsidy for COBRA premiums for certain qualified beneficiaries entitled to COBRA continuation coverage from April 1, 2021,...more
4/12/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Medicaid ,
Notice Requirements ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Laura Windsor, chair of Williams Mullen’s Labor, Employment and Immigration Practice who shares her insight on three employment...more
4/1/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Gender Identity ,
Health and Safety ,
Independent Contractors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Misclassification ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
OSHA ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Title VII ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the ARPA), signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021, includes provisions affecting employee benefit plan sponsors. The ARPA provides relief to certain COBRA qualified...more
3/16/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Multi-Employer Pensions ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the recently issued Department of Labor guidance on continued COVID-19 relief for certain employee benefit plan notice and election...more
3/11/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
New Guidance ,
Relief Measures ,
Time Extensions
Last year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) jointly offered extensions and other relief to employee benefit plan administrators who might be struggling to meet various filing, notice,...more
3/2/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Relief Measures ,
Retirement Plan ,
Time Extensions
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt addresses the latest round of coronavirus relief legislation passed in December 2020 and what benefit plan sponsors need to know about changes...more
1/19/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retention ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, including the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act 2020 (collectively, the “Act”) was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The Act expands prior COVID-19 relief and includes new...more
Insights and Ideas to Expedite Your Business Recovery in 2021 -
Join us for the COVID-19 Comeback Convention, a virtual convention comprised of brief presentations tailored to meet the needs of senior executives and...more
11/18/2020
/ Borrowers ,
Business Development ,
Business Losses ,
Business Strategies ,
Business Taxes ,
Capital Raising ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Branding ,
Corporate Executives ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Insurance Claims ,
Risk Management ,
Strategic Planning ,
Tax Planning ,
Webinars
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the differences between furloughs and layoffs and how each can impact employee benefits, such as 401(k) plans and group health plans....more
8/11/2020
/ 401k ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Furloughs ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Layoffs ,
Retirement Plan ,
Risk Mitigation
Employee Benefits Partner Brydon DeWitt summarizes the differences between furloughs and layoffs and how each can impact employee benefits, such as 401(k) plans and group health plans....more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon explains the Department of Labor’s Disaster Relief Notice that extends certain filing and notification timeframes applicable to employee benefit plans...more
7/15/2020
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Notification Requirements ,
Relief Measures ,
Time Extensions
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) jointly offered extensions and other relief to employee benefit plan administrators that may be struggling to meet various filing, notice, disclosure and...more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses new opportunities that the IRS and COVID-19 legislative relief have created for health flexible spending and cafeteria plans....more
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Congress and the IRS have provided more flexibility and expanded opportunities for employees to utilize health flexible spending arrangements and to adjust cafeteria plan...more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by colleague, Marc Purintun, to discuss the impact of COVID-19 legislative relief on employee benefit plans and plan sponsors....more
Many employers are making the difficult decision to place employees on a temporary furlough or to implement more permanent layoffs or a reduction-in-force. Employers should be aware of the impact these actions have on the...more
While the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) were created to provide economic relief to businesses and individuals impacted by the COVID-19...more
4/13/2020
/ C-Suite Executives ,
CARES Act ,
Compliance ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Executive Compensation ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Webinars
On Wednesday, April 1, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a temporary federal rule that provides additional guidance regarding how employers should implement the protections afforded under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave...more
Williams Mullen attorneys continue to monitor the impact that COVID-19 pandemic-related legislation will have on employers. We have created the following chart summarizing the employment and employee benefit provisions under...more
This webinar, which is part of a series organized by the Hampton Roads Business Recovery Taskforce, will address COVID-19 employment and employee benefits law considerations....more