As business closures increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are faced with questions about compensation and health benefit coverage for their employees. Government relief measures may provide compensation for businesses and individuals in certain situations. In other cases, existing rules on employee rights will apply. Paid leave may be required for some employees by…
Guidance Applies to Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage, Health FSAs and DCAPs On May 12, 2020, the IRS released Notice 2020-29, which provides temporary flexibility for mid-year election changes under a Section 125 cafeteria plan during calendar year 2020. The changes are designed to allow employers to respond to changes in employee needs as a result of the…
Inflation-Adjusted Contribution Limits and HDHP Amounts to Increase The IRS has announced the 2021 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as determined under the Internal Revenue Code. Annual Contribution Limits For calendar year 2021, the annual limit on HSA contributions for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan (HDHP) is $3,600 (up…
Fees Apply to Employers Sponsoring Certain Self-insured Plans As a reminder, employers that sponsor certain self-insured health plans are responsible for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fees. Fees for plan years that ended in 2019 are due July 31, 2020. Under the Affordable Care Act, PCORI fees were originally scheduled to apply to policy or plan years ending…
The coronavirus pandemic has sparked one of the largest social experiments in history. Virtually overnight, businesses across the world have been forced to rethink how they operate. Decisions made during this uncertain period will resonate for years and may serve as the base for a new, remote lifestyle post-coronavirus. Employee work-life balance is especially important…
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS has relaxed the irrevocable election rule and strict list of permitted election change events normally accompanying a Section 125 plan, which are required when a group takes employee pretax contributions for health care or provides an employee cash option. The new guidance allows employees to make five…
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act) into law. The Act requires employers to provide paid leave for some employees related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, among other measures and also provides for a series of tax credits to employers and self-employed individuals to help cover lost…
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published a final rule increasing the civil monetary penalties for violations of laws enforced by HHS, including the HIPAA privacy and security rules. HHS is required to adjust these penalties for inflation each year to improve their effectiveness and maintain their deterrent effect. The new penalty…
In the event of a pandemic flu outbreak, as declared by management, in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following Pandemic Flu Leave policy applies to all employees, including temporary and non-benefit eligible. This leave policy is above and beyond what is provided under the company’s Paid Time Off…
Coronaviruses are fairly common and don’t typically affect humans. When they do, their effects are usually mild, as in the case of the common cold. However, deadlier variations of these coronaviruses have cropped up in recent years. Two examples of these evolved strains are the SARS virus of 2003 and the novel coronavirus, which was…
