Regulation

New legislation was issued last night in the Senate that would remove broker compensation from the MLR calculation.

Employers have until May to begin using the new Form I-9, or else face penalties from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the arm of the federal government that enforces immigration policy.

A Senate hearing yesterday discussed a bill that creates a non-profit, national organization that would simplify the licensing process for brokers conducting business outside of their state of residence.

In a legislative session sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management, benefits attorney Elizabeth Vollmar covered everything from in-house administration functions to avoiding financial exposure.

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction on PPACA’s contraception requirement, saying an employer’s First Amendment rights could be irreparably harmed if the mandate was enforced while a lawsuit was pending.

Fidelity bond premiums can cost a considerable amount. Do you fully understand the kinds of losses covered by the bond or when it is appropriate to provide notice of a loss to a company’s insurer?

Under current guidance, “affordable” health care coverage for a family could get unaffordable fairly quickly, but is total household income even an issue for employers?

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may launch an investigation into pay discrimination, one legal expert warns — even before formal charges are filed. The agency, as part of the president’s task force on pay enforcement, already is implementing pilot projects to audit employers near New York, Chicago and Phoenix.

Plan fiduciaries are more vulnerable than ever on a lot of legal and regulatory fronts, including the financial statements included with their 5500 filings. In an era when 5500 forms and their attachments quickly enter the public domain online via E-fast 2, available to anyone -- including an enlarged army of DOL inspectors hunting for anomalies, “fiduciaries need to be on the top of their game,” warns Dave Dacey, CPA, a partner with the WithumSmith+Brown and leader of the firm’s Employee Benefit & Pension Plans Group.

Guest blogger John Galvin talks to many employers who express doubt about the likelihood their health and welfare plan could be audited by the Department of Labor. He offers tips and suggestions for ensuring your plans are compliant with ERISA and HIPAA.