The Internal Revenue Service released the cost-of-living adjusted qualified retirement plan and welfare plan limitations effective January 1, 2023. For ease of reference and comparison to prior years, we have placed the...more
Earlier this week, the COVID-19 testing coverage mandate was significantly expanded pursuant to FAQs issued jointly by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments). The...more
1/17/2022
/ 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 ,
Reimbursements ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virus Testing
Congress extended the availability of refundable tax credits for Eligible Employers who provide paid family leave or sick leave from April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021 in connection with COVID-related illness. Under ARPA,...more
8/27/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Defined Contribution Plans ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Executive Compensation ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Retirement Plan ,
Tax Credits ,
Vaccinations
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) provides that, for the period from April 1, 2021 until September 30, 2021, if an individual’s Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”) qualifying event is an...more
4/13/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Notice Requirements ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
Among the requirements under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (the “MHPAEA”) group health plans and health insurance issuers must apply any processes, strategies,...more
ARPA provides that, for the period from April 1, 2021 until September 30, 2021, if an individual’s Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”) qualifying event is an involuntary termination of employment or a...more
4/1/2021
/ American Health Care Act (AHCA) ,
COBRA ,
Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
Health Insurance ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
Multiemployer Plan ,
Pensions ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) provides that, for the period from April 1, 2021 until September 30, 2021, if an individual’s Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”) qualifying event is an...more
3/26/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Multiemployer Plan ,
Notice Requirements ,
Premium Subsidies ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
Thanks to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”), employers with health flexible spending accounts (“HFSAs”) and dependent care flexible spending accounts (“DFSAs”) may adopt temporary liberalized rules to help...more
In this edition of our newsletter, we have summarized key third quarter guidance from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), Department of Labor ("DOL"), and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ("PBGC"). As we look back on...more
10/28/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Employee Benefits ,
Executive Orders ,
Guidance Update ,
IRA Rollovers ,
IRS ,
PBGC ,
Proxy Season ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors ,
SECURE Act ,
Self-Insured Health Plans
In the second quarter of 2020, we have seen employers faced with continued challenges as they manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses and begin the process of returning to normal operations. The flurry...more
7/23/2020
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Guidance Update ,
IRS ,
PBGC ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Required Minimum Distributions ,
Retirement Plan ,
Safe Harbors
As any employer is keenly aware, the administration of an employee benefit plan (especially a group health plan) involves a number of different deadlines imposed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and...more
U.S. employers looking to reduce operating costs in the short term in response to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may seek to reduce or suspend their matching or nonelective contributions in their 401(k) plan....more
The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) provides legislative relief to participants impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. A summary of key provisions of the CARES Act, based on the current draft,...more
3/27/2020
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Diagnostic Tests ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Relief Measures ,
Retirement Plan ,
State of Emergency ,
Telehealth
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) enacted March 18 provides a combination of benefits to help employees during the COVID-19 pandemic...more
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA“) generally requires employers with fewer than 500 employees (“Small Employers”) to provide paid sick leave and additional FMLA benefits to their employees. ...more
As the Coronavirus has continued to spread, there has been guidance from various entities on a myriad of topics pertaining to employee benefits. Summaries and links to such guidance can be found below. This information will...more
3/18/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Dependent Care ,
Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) ,
Emergency Response ,
Employee Benefits ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Essential Health Benefits ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
HDHPs ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
IRS
As the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic grows, employers and others may be wondering how the public health emergency created by the outbreak affects information protected under the Health Insurance Portability and...more
If you are an ERISA fiduciary charged with management or investment of plan assets, and recent market activity has not tripped any alarm bells — or, if the alarm bells have been tripped, but you are are looking for a bit of...more
Yesterday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2020-15 announcing that a high deductible health plan’s payment of COVID-19 (coronavirus) testing and treatment prior to satisfaction of the plan’s minimum...more
The Internal Revenue Service released the cost-of-living adjusted qualified retirement plan limitations effective January 1, 2020. For ease of reference and comparison to prior years, we have placed the adjusted limitations...more
11/8/2019
/ 401k ,
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Defined Contribution Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
FICA Taxes ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
IRS ,
Medicare Taxes ,
Popular ,
Retirement Plan ,
Social Security Administration (SSA) ,
Wage and Hour
Question 5: If a company that is not subject to the CCPA acquires a company that is subject to the CCPA, can the acquisition “infect” the data of the first company?
Yes.
As discussed in the Series 2, Question 2 article,...more
As our series of FAQs regarding the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) continues we are examining the scope of the law’s jurisdiction. These FAQs should help employers determine if they are required to comply with the...more
As we predicted in our last Deep Dive, the Department of Labor (DOL) has appealed the District Court for the District of Columbia’s ruling in State of New York, et al. v. United States Department of Labor, et al. which...more
Question 4: Does the CCPA apply to non-profits?
Generally, no.
The CCPA applies only to “businesses” – a term that is defined, in relevant part, as including “any legal entity that is organized or operated for the...more
As our series of FAQs regarding the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) continues we are examining the scope of the law’s jurisdiction. These FAQs should help employers determine if they are required to comply with the...more