On-Demand Webinar | PPP Loan Forgiveness: Employment and Tax Issues for Borrowers
Minnesota’s Secure Choice Retirement Program has started registering employers, with the first of a phased schedule of registration deadlines set for June 30, 2026....more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced (see Revenue Procedure 2026-24) cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for health savings accounts (HSAs), high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), and...more
On April 22, 2026, Virginia enacted legislation establishing a statewide paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program. The program, which will be administered by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), will begin...more
Welcome to your weekly update from the A&O Shearman Pensions team, covering all the latest legal and regulatory developments in the world of workplace pensions. SUMMARY - • Pension Schemes Act 2026 gains Royal Assent,...more
In late April 2026, Virginia enacted a new Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (PFML). Like many other state paid family and medical leave programs, Virginia’s PFML will be funded through payroll contributions...more
If your business employs W-2 workers, chances are you’ve dealt with a wage garnishment. They’re common and can be confusing, especially when something doesn’t seem right and your employee is asking why the deductions haven’t...more
On April 22, 2026, Virginia enacted a paid family and medical leave law after the Virginia General Assembly accepted Governor Spanberger’s amendments. The program will be administered by the Virginia Employment Commission...more
Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly was one of the busiest seasons for employers. On April 22, 2026, the General Assembly accepted Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s recommended amendments to legislation creating a statewide paid family...more
On April 14, Maryland enacted HB 118, which, effective October 1, amends the Maryland Money Transmission Act to exclude from the definition of “money transmitter” a person designated as an agent of a payor for the purpose of...more
New York employers who do not offer a retirement plan are about to face a new compliance obligation. The New York Secure Choice Savings Program requires covered private-sector employers to automatically enroll their employees...more
Most 401(k) problems don’t start in the plan. They start in payroll. Plan sponsors tend to think of payroll as an administrative function and the 401(k) as a separate benefits issue....more
On March 11, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Second Substitute House Bill 2345 (HB 2345). The new law revises how the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) premium requirements are allocated between employers and...more
Takeaways To expand access to retirement savings, New York now requires certain private-sector employers that do not sponsor a retirement plan to either: • Register with the New York State Secure Choice Savings Program...more
In 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into legislation a law that requires certain private sector employers without a current retirement plan to automatically enroll their employees in New York State’s Secure Choice...more
A number of states have enacted (or plan to enact) laws that require certain private employers to enroll employees in a state-based retirement savings program. Generally, these rules apply to employers that do not sponsor a...more
Many employers offer popular pre-tax benefits such as health insurance premiums, health FSAs, and dependent care FSAs, assuming that running deductions through payroll on a pre-tax basis is enough. ...more
In today’s rapidly evolving global workforce, innovative companies are exploring compensation models that incorporate cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins like USDC, EURC, or emerging euro-pegged options...more
Maine’s paid family and medical leave (PFML) program will begin paying benefits on May 1, 2026. Employers with at least one employee in Maine began making contributions to the PFML fund in January 2025 through employee...more
Many employers issue paychecks biweekly, which results in 26 pay periods per year. This year, 2026 employers will encounter an adjustment where a biweekly pay schedule may result in 27 pay periods....more
Many employers issue paychecks every other week, which typically results in 26 pay periods per year. This year, however, employers on a biweekly schedule may have 27 pay periods, depending on when you process payroll. The...more
Recent reporting shows that roughly 42% of full-time U.S. workers — more than 40 million people, don’t have access to a retirement plan through their employer. That number should give everyone in the industry pause....more
On December 23, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or “Bureau”) published an advisory opinion (the “2025 EWA Advisory Opinion”) concluding that certain earned wage access (EWA) programs do not constitute...more
In late December, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a new advisory opinion (2025 AO) on earned wage access (EWA) stating that "covered earned wage access" (Covered EWA) does not meet Regulation Z's...more
As we have discussed in prior blogs, CalSavers is California’s retirement savings program for workers who do not have a way to save for retirement at work (e.g. the employer does not offer a qualified retirement plan such as...more
In 2026, employers with bi-weekly payroll schedules will encounter a 27-pay-period year. Advance planning can help avoid unintended payroll and budgeting impacts. An employee with an annual salary is automatically and...more