Compliance

Despite being delayed until 2020, the Affordable Care Act’s so-called Cadillac tax on high-cost plans is still on the horizon and employers need to prepare for it.

The Supreme Court Justice’s passing calls into question the future of some benefits-related decisions.

The passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia throws employers into a world of uncertainty. While Supreme Court jurisprudence is often unpredictable, Justice Scalia’s death will no doubt lead to an unusual amount of turmoil for the foreseeable future.

Under the proposal, the agency expands its list of the evidence or facts that an employee can show to show establish a retaliation claim.

Under the proposal, the agency expands its list of the evidence or facts that an employee can show to show establish a retaliation claim.

Understanding ACA compliance is critical, but it mustn’t come at the expense of fundamental employee education.

Employers filing taxes must be diligent when classifying independent contractor and employees.

Healthier businesses will receive higher-than-expected rate increases because they are now being pooled with the less healthy plans that may include employees who smoke and engage in other unhealthy behaviors.

Employers served with an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) subpoena requesting private employee information – regardless of its arguable relevance – may nevertheless be compelled to respond.

Leslie Straus leads a fast-growing division of The Benefit Companies that focuses solely on helping clients and fellow advisers tackle the problem of tracking, monitoring and analyzing employee data.

Given the growing regulatory climate, some brokerages are finding it makes financial sense to employ their own lawyers.

Commentary: Since the Family and Medical Leave Act was signed into law in 1993, employee benefits administration and time-off tracking have never been the same.

Throughout the year, a number of guest bloggers have provided valuable insights to EBN readers on the complex changes and issues affecting healthcare, retirement and other benefits programs.

Seeking an alternative to the DOL's controversial proposed fiduciary rule, some members of Congress are drafting their own proposal that would establish rules for advisers working with savers and plans without the regulatory burdens and litigation risks that critics see in the DOL's plan.

Under new final regulations, which take effect Jan. 1, 2016, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation substantially reduced the reporting requirements for pension plan administrators, sponsors and contributing employers.

Care must be taken to coordinate your company’s efforts to review and revise employment terms. Here are a few common problem areas to which HR and benefit managers should pay particular attention.

Commentary: A former Intel Corporation employee is suing the company for allegedly breaching its fiduciary responsibilities by investing employees’ retirement money in “risky and high-cost” hedge funds and private equity funds.

Commentary: Adviser Jerry Kalish details a list of welfare benefits subject to ERISA that fall outside of health care reform.

ACA reporting becomes mandatory in 2016. Preparing employers to be compliant with reporting requirements is a core service that advisers should be offering, industry experts say.

Commentary: The rapidly evolving regulatory environment has increased benefit and tax complexities for most employees, making the open enrollment decisions more confusing and stressful than ever.