Avoid the Year-End Rush – 5 Proactive 401(k) Plan Administrative Steps to Take Now

Anyone responsible for the administration of a 401(k) retirement plan probably has a “to-do” list that never ends. For example, as soon as a plan administrator files the Annual Report Form 5500 for the prior year, it is time to start planning to distribute the Summary Annual Reports and annual fee and QDIA notices to …

End of the COVID-19 Emergency – Impact on Employee Benefit Plans

On March 29, 2023, the Departments of Labor (“DOL”), Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and Treasury (the “Departments”) published FAQs Part 58 on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), providing guidance on the impact …

Using the New Group Health Plan Fee Disclosure Rules To Reduce Plan Costs

Like a 401(k) plan, a group health plan must comply with ERISA’s rule that prohibits a plan fiduciary from paying more than a reasonable amount for services provided to the plan. When a group health plan offers insured benefits, service providers may receive a commission from the insurance company instead of direct payment from the …

U.S. Department of Labor Signals Increased Focus on Protecting Against Retaliation

On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2022-02 (FAB). FAB focused on retaliation against employees who assert rights under a broad array of federal laws, including the FLSA, FMLA, the Migrant and Seasonal Workers, various work Visa programs (such as …

The DOL to Bring Back the 80/20 Rule for Tipped Employees with an Additional 30-Minute Rule

In an effort to “undo” the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) actions under the Trump administration, on June 23, 2021, the agency published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”), revising how it will regulate the minimum wage pay of tipped employees. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), employers must pay non-exempt hourly employees a minimum …

U.S. Department of Labor Issues New Independent Contractor Rules For March 8, 2021; Will It Take Effect?

Employers are routinely challenged in navigating the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) test to determine independent contractor status of workers under the federal wage and hour laws. Employers regularly retain workers as independent contractors to whom employers are not obligated to pay overtime or minimum wage. As such, those employers would benefit from a clear …

The DOL’s Updated Guidance on the Expired FFCRA—It Will Still Enforce Pre-December 31, 2020 FFCRA Violations

As relayed in our late December piece titled: “It’s Official, the FFCRA Expires This Year. Tax Credits Available to Employers that Voluntarily Provide Paid Leave for COVID-19 Absences,” mandated FFCRA paid leave expired on December 31, 2020; however, per the federal government’s new stimulus bill (The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 referred as the “Act”), as …

It’s Official, the FFCRA Expires this Year. Tax Credits Available to Employers That Voluntarily Provide Paid Leave for COVID-19 Absences

There were rumors that with the new stimulus deal that Congress would extend FFCRA leave, but that turned out to be fake news. Upon reviewing House Speaker Pelosi’s press release discussing the stimulus deal it became clear that no, the FFCRA would not be extended to provide employees guaranteed paid leave benefits for COVID-19 qualifying …

Important Update on Recent DHS and DOL Rule Changes to the H-1B Program

On December 1, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order in connection with an industry group lawsuit against both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The judge found that both Departments failed to properly follow standard U.S. legal procedures governing …

EEOC RESUMES ISSUANCE OF CHARGE CLOSURE DOCUMENTS

On August 3, 2020, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it will resume issuing charge closure documents.  The EEOC had suspended issuing charge closure documents on March 21, 2020 due to the pandemic, unless a charging party requested closing charge documents be issued.  Although the EEOC has continued to investigate cases, …