The House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees have issued draft legislation, the American Health Care Act, to begin the process of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Both Committees will hold...more
The IRS has extended the relief available to employers who offer an “opt-out” payment to employees who decline company medical coverage. This means that for 2017, such payments, whether conditional or unconditional, will not...more
Many employers have implemented wellness programs to encourage employees to adopt a healthy lifestyle and reduce medical claims. In recent years employers have revised wellness programs to comply with final regulations under...more
In the ever-increasing push to “go green,” many employers are opting to distribute required notices and disclosures to employees via e-mail or through website postings. Plan sponsors are asking: Can an employer rely on an...more
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has finally issued proposed regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding wellness programs. The proposed regulations amend existing regulations and...more
On Feb. 4, 2015, Anthem announced a data breach involving the personal information of more than 80 million individuals resulting from what it characterized as a sophisticated, targeted cyber-attack. Group health plans may be...more
On June 30, 2014, same-sex domestic partnerships registered with the Washington Secretary of State will automatically convert to lawful marriages, unless one of the partners is age 62 or older, or the domestic partners have...more
The IRS has published Notice 2014-19 and related FAQs regarding the application of the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Windsor and Rev. Ruling 2013-17 to qualified retirement plans. All retirement plans should be...more
Wellness plans must comply with complex final regulations that were issued last year by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”). To help plans from falling off...more
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Windsor v. United States holding that same-sex marriages valid under state law are now recognized at the federal level, thereby transforming the treatment of...more
7/1/2013
/ Civil Unions ,
COBRA ,
DOMA ,
Domestic Partnership ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Equal Protection ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Hollingsworth v Perry ,
Income Taxes ,
Proposition 8 ,
Retirement Plan ,
Same-Sex Marriage ,
SCOTUS ,
Standing ,
US v Windsor
News articles, social media, protests, and lunchroom conversation were all dedicated to the two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this week. Hollingsworth v. Perry and Windsor v. United States could potentially transform...more
On Nov. 6, 2012, Washington voters approved same-sex marriage in Washington state. This advisory explains the impact of this new law on employee benefit plans and procedures, and revisits the treatment of employee benefits...more