Articles, News and Information

California: New Legislation Amends the Paid Sick Leave as of July 13, 2015

California’s new paid sick leave law, the “Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014” (paid sick leave law) recently went into effect on July 1, 2015. Less than two weeks later, the law has already been amended. On July 13, 2015, the California legislature passed AB 304 amending the Paid Sick Leave Law. Governor Jerry…

ACA Reporting Requirements: Increased Penalties and New Electronic Filing Steps

On June 29, 2015, President Obama signed into law, The Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (“Act”), which significantly increases potential penalties for insurers and employers that fail to comply with the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) and Large Employer reporting requirements first due in 2016.   As a recap: IRS…

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling: Subsidies Will Continue for Federal Marketplace Coverage

  On June 25, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court released their decision in the King v. Burwell case concerning the provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and ruled that subsidies will continue to be available in all states and not just those with state-based exchanges.  Subsidies with federally-facilitated exchanges will continue,…

New Rules and Penalties for Cash “In Lieu” of Benefits

IRS Notice 2015-17: New Guidance for Employer Premium Reimbursement In the past, many employers have helped employees pay for individual health insurance policies (i.e. through “Employer Payment Plans”) in the offering an employer-sponsored plan. In recent months, the Department of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Treasury Departments have released several pieces of…

DOL Revised FMLA Definition of “Spouse”: February 25, 2015

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees of covered employees of covered Employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.  The FMLA also includes certain military family leave provisions.  On February 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor revised Family Medical Leave Act definition of a “spouse.”   The…

Section 125: Who CANNOT Participate in a Cafeteria Plan, FSA, or HRA

We often receive the question of “Who can and cannot participate in a Section 125 Cafeteria Plan, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), or HRA?”  From time to time, we find clients who are participating in tax-favored benefits who should not, as they are not eligible, or they do not have a plan document in place.  Of…