Articles

Department of Labor Releases Opinion Letters

Opinion letters serve as a means by which the public can develop a clearer understanding of what FLSA and FMLA compliance entails. Opinion letters may be signed by the Wage and Hour Division Administrator or a lower level official. On August 28, 2018 The...

IRS releases Guidance on Paid Family Leave Tax Credit

The IRS announced that eligible employers who provide paid family and medical leave to their employees may qualify for a new business credit for tax years 2018 and 2019. In addition, eligible employers who set up qualifying paid family leave programs or...

Medicare Part D Participant Notice must be sent before Oct 15

Plan sponsors that offer prescription drug coverage must provide notices of creditable or non-creditable coverage to Medicare-eligible individuals, prior to each year’s Medicare Part D annual enrollment period. The required notices may be provided in...

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Affordability Threshold Rises for 2019

The percentage used to determine whether or not employer sponsored health insurance is affordable for purposes of employer shared responsibility will increase to 9.86% for 2019. Under the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions, large employers who do...

Medical Loss Ratio Rebates Coming Soon

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to report information about their medical loss ratio to the Department of Health and Human Services each year. The medical loss ratio (MLR) is the cost of claims plus the amount expended on health care...

Employers May Have More Latitude with Employee Handbooks

Following the issuance of a general counsel memo approving common handbook provisions, employers may expect the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to subject their employee handbooks to less scrutiny than in recent years. The memo outlined three categories of...

Employers May Have More Latitude with Employee Handbooks

Following the issuance of a general counsel memo approving common handbook provisions, employers may expect the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to subject their employee handbooks to less scrutiny than in recent years. The memo outlined three...

Employers are Increasingly Dropping Marijuana Testing

Employers are increasingly dropping pre-employment drug screening for marijuana.  While still in its early stages, the shift away from marijuana testing appears likely to accelerate as more states legalize cannabis use.  Recreational marijuana use is legal...

Reminder: PCORI Fees Due by July 31, 2018

The Affordable Care Act imposes a fee on issuers of specified health insurance policies and plan sponsors of applicable self-insured health plans to help fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The fee, required to be reported once a year on...

DOL Expands Access to Association Health Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) finalized and published in the Federal Register a final rule titled Definition of "Employer" under Section 3(5) of ERISA--Association Health Plans. This rule is overseen by the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration and...

Bans on Salary History Inquiries

State and local governments are increasingly adopting laws and regulations that prohibit employers from requesting salary history information from job applicants. The goal of these laws is to help end the cycle of pay discrimination and decrease the gender pay gap. ...

Department of Labor Releases Opinion Letters

Opinion letters serve as a means by which the public can develop a clearer understanding of what FLSA and FMLA compliance entails. Opinion letters may be signed by the Wage and Hour Division Administrator or a lower level official. On August 28, 2018 The...

IRS releases Guidance on Paid Family Leave Tax Credit

The IRS announced that eligible employers who provide paid family and medical leave to their employees may qualify for a new business credit for tax years 2018 and 2019. In addition, eligible employers who set up qualifying paid family leave programs or...

Medicare Part D Participant Notice must be sent before Oct 15

Plan sponsors that offer prescription drug coverage must provide notices of creditable or non-creditable coverage to Medicare-eligible individuals, prior to each year’s Medicare Part D annual enrollment period. The required notices may be provided in...

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Affordability Threshold Rises for 2019

The percentage used to determine whether or not employer sponsored health insurance is affordable for purposes of employer shared responsibility will increase to 9.86% for 2019. Under the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions, large employers who do...

Medical Loss Ratio Rebates Coming Soon

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to report information about their medical loss ratio to the Department of Health and Human Services each year. The medical loss ratio (MLR) is the cost of claims plus the amount expended on health care...

Employers May Have More Latitude with Employee Handbooks

Following the issuance of a general counsel memo approving common handbook provisions, employers may expect the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to subject their employee handbooks to less scrutiny than in recent years. The memo outlined three categories of...

Employers May Have More Latitude with Employee Handbooks

Following the issuance of a general counsel memo approving common handbook provisions, employers may expect the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to subject their employee handbooks to less scrutiny than in recent years. The memo outlined three...

Employers are Increasingly Dropping Marijuana Testing

Employers are increasingly dropping pre-employment drug screening for marijuana.  While still in its early stages, the shift away from marijuana testing appears likely to accelerate as more states legalize cannabis use.  Recreational marijuana use is legal...

Reminder: PCORI Fees Due by July 31, 2018

The Affordable Care Act imposes a fee on issuers of specified health insurance policies and plan sponsors of applicable self-insured health plans to help fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The fee, required to be reported once a year on...

DOL Expands Access to Association Health Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) finalized and published in the Federal Register a final rule titled Definition of "Employer" under Section 3(5) of ERISA--Association Health Plans. This rule is overseen by the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration and...

Bans on Salary History Inquiries

State and local governments are increasingly adopting laws and regulations that prohibit employers from requesting salary history information from job applicants. The goal of these laws is to help end the cycle of pay discrimination and decrease the gender pay gap. ...

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