Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
By Gwen Cofield Governmental employers and the benefit plans they sponsor are generally exempt from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act’s (ERISA) Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) provisions but are still required to offer COBRA coverage to qualified beneficiaries under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA).
Most Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) enforcement has focused on the larger breaches of protected health information (PHI). But the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not forgotten those incidents that fall below the “major” threshold of 500 individuals.
Want to retain working parents? According to a recent FlexJobs survey of nearly 1,200 parents with children 18 and younger living at home, work flexibility (84%) and work/life balance (80%) are the most important factors when parents consider a job opportunity. Parents placed these ahead of other factors, such as salary (75%), health insurance (42%), […]
By Amy McLaughlin, JD, Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew As an employment lawyer, the first question I ask clients who are dealing with a challenging personnel matter is what type of documentation exists. Why? Because in the world of employment litigation, documentation is king!
By David Slaughter, JD, Senior Legal Editor Enforcement of mental health parity requirements is on the upswing, so plan sponsors and administrators need to be reexamining their plan documents and claims review processes for signs that mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits are being handled differently from other coverage.
by Ajay Gogna The IRS recently issued guidance on the application of various provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to employer-provided health insurance coverage, including guidance on how employer offers of “opt-out” payments to employees are treated for purposes of determining whether healthcare coverage is affordable. Analysis of the guidance The ACA requires applicable […]
Recently, 21 states and a few employer interest groups filed suit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Their argument is that the DOL overstepped its authority.
New rules governing incentives offered as part of employee wellness programs are now the target of a lawsuit from a large advocacy group representing older Americans. AARP filed the suit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in Federal District Court in Washington, D.C., on October 24, arguing that wellness programs can violate employees’ privacy […]
As paid sick leave continues to trend across the nation, one company is inviting American workers to take an “unsick day” to focus on his or her health.
Update: A ruling on the injunction hearing held on November 16 is expected on November 22. We will provide coverage on the ruling once it is issued. A federal district court has agreed to fast-track a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new overtime regulation. It has scheduled oral arguments for November 16, […]