Author: Rich Glass, Attorney, Mercer Health & Benefits LLC

hole

Is Your Cafeteria Plan Document Full of Plot Holes?

Unlike summer blockbuster movies with a large cast of key characters, benefit plan documentation has just three: the plan document under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the summary plan description (SPD), and the Internal Revenue Code Section 125 cafeteria plan document.

culture

The Culture Killer: 3 Tips to Avoid Becoming the Next Uber

Uber built a name for itself as the company that overhauled and uprooted the traditional taxi industry. The rapid rise and success of Uber made it a household name with companies vying to be the “Uber of X” in their industry and while companies want to copy the business model, there’s one thing no one […]

caregiving

Caregiving Ranks High in Importance for Wellness Benefits

Caregiving ranks among the top 10 employee health and wellness benefits priorities for most employers, says a new survey by Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) in collaboration with AARP. Furthermore, among employers who say caregiving is not a top priority, most are aware of the issue but unable to address it. More than three-quarters […]

healthcare

Health Benefits During FMLA Leave: Who Pays?

For many HR professionals, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) administration is near—or at—the top of the list of most-hated-things-about-the-job. And given that the law is confusing and burdensome and nitpicky, it’s no wonder.

global

Compliance: Converting International Contractors to Employees

Today’s growing business is facing increasing pressure to expand internationally—whether that is to meet demand from customers overseas, to test new markets, or to tap the worldwide pool of talent to strengthen their broader operation.

COBRA

Employer Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Because of Vague Language in COBRA Notice

In addition to making sure Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) election notices are sent to qualified beneficiaries on a timely basis, employers and plan administrators should ensure that the notices’ content satisfies the COBRA regulations. They should consider using the model COBRA election notice published by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which considers […]

job fair

‘Fake’ Job Fair Attracts 300 Attendees

Nothing ever “dies” online. Once it’s out there, people will be able to access it forever; no matter how hard you try to remove it, there will always be some cached form living in obscurity online. Recently, an employer learned this firsthand, as a job fair posting from 2015 came back to life and attracted […]