What the Biden Vaccine Mandate Means for Employers
Recently, the White House directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to draft an emergency temporary standard (ETS) for private employers. Soon, employers with 100 or more employees (likely measured companywide, not ...
OSHA to Mandate Vaccine and Testing Temporary Standard for COVID-19
On Sept. 9, 2021, President Biden announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing an emergency temporary standard (ETS). The new ETS will require private-sector employers with 100 or ...
Agencies Plan Changes to Contraceptive Coverage Rules
On Aug. 16, 2021, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL) and the Treasury (Departments) issued a frequently asked question (FAQ) regarding enforcement of the contraceptive coverage mandate under the Affordable Care Act (...
The Impact of Biden's Competition Executive Order on the Healthcare Industry.
The American economy is finally recovering after more than a year of stagnation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Joe Biden’s administration wants to continue this momentum and further stimulate the economy. To h...
Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to the ACA's Individual Mandate
On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate in a 7-2 ruling.
This lawsuit was filed in 2018 by 18 states as a result of ...
IRS Issues Guidance on Taxability of DCAP Benefits for 2021 and 2022
On May 10, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance >> on the taxability of dependent care assistance programs (DCAPs) for 2021 and 2022, clarifying that amounts attributable to previously issued...
Temporary COVID-19 Relief for Section 125 Plans
On Feb. 18, 2021, the IRS released Notice 2021-15 to clarify special rules for Section 125 plans, health flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) and dependent care assistance programs (DCAPs).
Special Rules for Health FSAs and DCAPs
The Notice is intended t...
DOL Increases Civil Penalty Amounts for 2021
The Department of Labor (DOL) has released its 2021 inflation-adjusted civil monetary penalties that may be assessed on employers for violations of a wide range of federal laws, including:
Supporting Employee Financial Well-being in the New Year.
2020 has not only effected the way Americans live on a daily basis, but has also posed significant economic threats that could have a lasting effect on their financial well-being. For purposes of this article, financial well-being refers to th...
Employee Benefits Plan Limits for 2021
Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits that are periodically updated for inflation by the IRS.
The IRS typically announces the dollar limits that will apply for the next calendar year well in advance of t...