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Although it admitted no wrongdoing, an employer and plan administrator agreed to pay a $1.3 million settlement to a group of former employees who alleged they never received COBRA election or premium subsidy information after their involuntary termination of employment in 2010. In addition to COBRA and premium subsidy notice claims, they also sued the […]
With lump-sum retirement distributions gaining favor among employers with defined benefit plans, sponsors should note a decision from a federal district court that supported the right of lump-sum payout recipients to receive a cost-of-living adjustment that is actuarially equivalent to the COLA paid to annuitants. In Pikas v. Williams Cos., District Judge Gregory Frizzell granted […]
What Is the Amount of the Fee? The fee is: • $1 times the average covered lives for policy years ending on or after Oct 1, 2012 and ending before Oct 1, 2013; • $2 for policy years ending on or after October 1, 2013 and before October 1, 2014 • $2 plus an adjustment […]
Gillihan, who is Counsel in the Atlanta office of Alston & Bird LLP, made his suggestions at a recent webinar sponsored by BLR/HRHero. Complying with the Women’s Health Preventive Care Requirement First of all, employers should already be complying with women’s health preventive care requirements, in effect January 1 for calendar plan years, says Gillilan. […]
Every year, BLR’s HR editors select ten key topics we think will be at the forefront in the following year, and we offer best practices for each topic. This year, we will feature free best practice reports under each category. Simply click on the links below to download the featured reports. More reports will be […]
Employers will not have to start distributing notices to all employees on the existence of health insurance exchanges on March 1 as required by the health reform law. This requirement is now deemed impracticable because many state exchanges have not been set up, and do not become operational until Jan. 1, 2014. Also, the requirement […]
Court Fails to Find ERISA Breach Plan sponsors, especially those in the financial services industry, have some assurance about their right to invest in affiliated mutual funds and other assets for their retirement plans, based on a recent ruling by an appeals court. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Jan. 14 upheld the […]
This year’s worse than average flu season has some employers wondering what they can do to help keep workers healthy. Just one flu-infected worker, after all, can infect the entire workplace and bring productivity to a grinding halt. Employers have, of course, been through this kind of scare before. In 2009, when worries about a […]
Vacations? Overtime after 8 hours? Double time for holidays? These are some of the many myths of wage and hour that managers adhere to. In today’s Advisor, we’ll dispel a dozen of them. Myth #1—Employees get extra pay for working nights and weekends. The Facts: The FLSA does not require extra pay for weekend or […]
A corporate policy that does not include pregnancy among the conditions making an employee eligible for light duty is a “neutral and legitimate business practice,” not evidence of bias against pregnant workers, according to a recent court ruling that dismissed a UPS truck driver’s claim that she was the victim of pregnancy discrimination. Employers may […]