Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The IRS’ “to do” list includes writing up a notice on cell phone substantiation and finalizing guidance on debit cards used with qualified transportation fringe benefits (QTFBs), according to its 2011-2012 priority guidance plan published Sept. 2. Smart Cards The IRS lists 29 items under the heading, “executive compensation, health care and other benefits and […]
Retirement plan administrators do not have the authority to conclude that a domestic relations order (DRO) is not qualified because it is based on a “sham” divorce, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided July 18, 2011. The 5th Circuit stated that a key ERISA section “does not authorize an administrator to consider or […]
The sponsor of a self-funded health plan cannot escape its responsibility to ensure that only fully eligible people are enrolled. Illustrating this maxim is a self-funded plan’s sad quest to recover gigantic sums from health providers for services it paid on behalf of a non-beneficiary. The plan paid more than $1 million in claims for a […]
Why should a recent tax court decision that caretaker services provided to a dementia patient are qualified long-term care (LTC) expenses be of interest to employers? Well, if you see employee benefits as a way to attract and retain good employees, and don’t yet offer LTC insurance, the ruling — which means those services could […]
A surprising survey shows that many companies simply don’t track their paid-time-off (PTO) programs, even though the cost may be as high as health care. Potential savings from better management: millions.
Do you offer long-term care (LTC) insurance to your employees? If so, and the changes the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) made to the tax and information reporting requirements affecting some LTC coverage apply, you can offer your two cents’ worth to the IRS. The PPA amended the tax rules for qualified LTC insurance, […]
Some people complain about “rheumatism,” backaches and other physical ills when the weather shifts. For a Southwest Airlines employee, his backaches — and resulting requests for Family and Medical Act (FMLA) leave — seemed to follow the same shift as holidays and vacation time. Southwest determined that this was not the whim of nature but […]
Policymakers may debate the federal government’s overall spending habits, but federal employees have long had restrictions on how much they can be reimbursed for travel expenses, for example. And each year, the “per diem” travel reimbursement rates are adjusted. In fact, the feds have released per diem rates, adjusted for inflation, for fiscal year 2012, […]
Keep in mind that some individuals may be eligible for COBRA premium subsidies beyond Aug. 31, 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) noted today in updated material on its website. The updated frequently-asked-question on the end of the subsidy period follows: Q1: I’ve heard that the COBRA Premium Reduction (Subsidy) ends on August 31, 2011, […]
If you offer your employees health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), you know better than I that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) increased your administrative duties. But there’s good news, at least for some of you! The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a reminder that HRAs established […]