Benefits Administration

Massachusetts Labor Update: Increased Minimum Wage, Paid Family Medical Leave Program Take Effect in Massachusetts

2023-04-17T11:25:27-04:00January 4th, 2021|2021, Benefits Administration, Employee Benefits Legislation, Labor News, Legislative News, Massachusetts News|

On January 1, 2021, a new minimum wage and a new paid family and medical leave program took effect in Massachusetts. Both changes are the result of laws passed in 2018. “As residents across our state continue to struggle [...]

IRS Provides ACA Reporting Relief for 2020

2023-04-17T11:26:32-04:00October 14th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Employee Benefits, Employee Benefits Legislation, Legislative News|

The IRS released very important guidance concerning employers’ obligations under the Affordable Care Act. Notice 2020-76, released October 2, 2020, addresses a broad array of topics under the ACA compliance umbrella. This post addresses two issues of critical concern [...]

New FMLA Model Notices and Forms Issued by the U.S. DOL Reflect Significant Changes

2023-04-17T11:26:34-04:00September 21st, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Labor News|

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued new model notices and certification forms (FMLA forms), which can be used by employers to administer the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and fulfill the FMLA notice obligations. These [...]

Update on Drug Pricing: White House Issues Executive Orders To Lower Drug Prices

2023-04-17T11:26:37-04:00August 14th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Legislative News|

On July 24, 2020, President Donald Trump issued the following series of executive orders in an effort to lower drug prices: Executive Order on Lowering Prices for Patients by Eliminating Kickbacks to Middlemen: directs federally qualified health centers to [...]

IRS Provides More Options for Unused Funds in Health FSAs and DCAPs

2023-04-17T11:27:56-04:00May 18th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, COVID-19 Updates, Employee Benefits, Employee Benefits Legislation, Legislative News|

Options Include an Extended Period for Incurring Expenses and Increased Health FSA Carryover Limit Flexible spending accounts are about to get more flexible for people who have seen their household budgets upended by the Coronavirus pandemic. Account holders will [...]

The Latest Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidelines Issued on COVID-19

2023-04-17T11:29:33-04:00April 1st, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, COVID-19 Updates, Employee Benefits Legislation, Legislative News|

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently hosted a webinar in which the agency answered questions about the applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII to COVID-19-related employment actions. The EEOC updated its previously published [...]

Legislative Update: COVID-19: Self-Funded Impacts of Economic Stimulus Phase 3

2023-04-17T11:29:37-04:00March 26th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Employee Benefits Legislation, Legislative News|

March 26, 2020: After several days of negotiations between Congress and the White House, the US Senate passed the third COVID-19 stimulus package on a 96-0 vote. The House indicated they would take up consideration by Friday. This third [...]

Furlough, Lay-Off, Reduction in Force: What Does It All Mean?

2023-04-17T11:29:38-04:00March 26th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Employee Benefits|

As the coronavirus spreads across the country, millions of jobs are being lost to shelter-in-place orders and lack of customers. People have been hearing the terms furlough, lay-off, and reduction in force far more than usual given these uncertain [...]

DOL: New Paid Leave Requirements Take Effect April 1

2023-04-17T11:29:38-04:00March 26th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Employee Benefits, Employee Benefits Legislation, Legislative News|

Coronavirus Response Act Applies to Leaves Taken April - Dec. 2020 The paid leave provisions of the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act will go into effect April 1, 2020, according to Q&As released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). [...]

DOL Releases Information on Paid Sick Leave, Expanded Family and Medical Leave

2023-04-17T11:29:39-04:00March 25th, 2020|2020, Benefits Administration, Employee Benefits, Employee Benefits Legislation, Legislative News|

On Tuesday March 24th, 2020, The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division announced its first round of published information for employees and employers to know how to use the protection and relief offer. According to The U.S. [...]