A Practice or Policy without Clear Legislative Intent Does Not Create Implied Contractual Right to Retiree Health Benefits -
A federal appellate court has affirmed a U.S. District Court’s decision to grant Orange...more
Transition Guidance Included in the Final Regulations Postpones Implementation for Many Employers -
Yesterday, the Department of the Treasury released the final regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act’s...more
New Retirement Savings Account Aimed at those Without Access to Such Plans Through Their Employer -
President Obama announced in his State of the Union address that he would be ordering the Department of the Treasury...more
However, the Vested Rights Doctrine Proves Fatal to Core Pension Reform Measures -
A tentative decision on the legal challenges to the City of San Jose’s pension reform measure, Measure B, was released late last month....more
In October, five California mayors proposed a statewide initiative – The Pension Reform Act of 2014 (Act) – which, if approved, will amend the California Constitution. The Act was amended last month for the principal purpose...more
IRS Guidance Provides An Alternative to the Current “Grace Period Rule” -
The Internal Revenue Service recently released Notice 2013-71, which provides an alternative to the Grace Period Rule for health flexible...more
The Affordable Care Act requires employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to notify employees of the coverage options available through state insurance exchanges, such as Covered California. Notice must be...more
With this summer’s Supreme Court rulings on DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, and Prop. 8 allowing same-sex marriages to be recognized in states that allow them, private sector and public agency employers in California...more
9/17/2013
/ 401k ,
COBRA ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
DOMA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Marriage ,
Proposition 8 ,
Retirement Plan ,
Same-Sex Marriage ,
SCOTUS ,
US v Windsor
On the heels of last week’s announcement that the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) reporting requirements and Play or Pay penalties will not go into effect until 2015, the IRS has released transition relief clarifying that the...more
7/11/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Compliance ,
Deadlines ,
Delays ,
Employer Mandates ,
Fees ,
Form 720 ,
Healthcare ,
IRS ,
Pay or Play ,
PCORI ,
Penalties ,
U.S. Treasury
On Tuesday, the Administration announced that the Affordable Care Act’s employer shared responsibility payments, better known as the Play or Pay rules, will not go into effect until 2015....more
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that the Defense of Marriage Act’s (DOMA) definition of marriage is unconstitutional. The Court's decision and the decisions allowing same-sex marriage to resume in California will have...more
7/2/2013
/ DOMA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Equal Protection ,
Estate Tax ,
Health Insurance ,
Hollingsworth v Perry ,
Income Taxes ,
Proposition 8 ,
Retirement Plan ,
Same-Sex Marriage ,
SCOTUS ,
Standing ,
US v Windsor
As part of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies offering certain health insurance policies and employers, including public agencies, that sponsor certain self-insured plans may be responsible for reporting and paying...more
The Department of Labor (DOL) recently released a revised model COBRA election notice which includes information about coverage available through the state insurance exchanges. This change is aimed at informing individuals of...more
5/24/2013
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act added Section 18B to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), requiring employers to give notice to employees of the coverage options available through state insurance exchanges....more
This past Friday, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) released Circular Letter 200-019-13 which estimates the increase to employer contribution rates for fiscal years 2015/2016 – 2019/2020 based on...more
On Wednesday, the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) approved new actuarial policies that will have a significant impact on participating employers. The policies are...more