News

We are just over six months away from the 2016 election and –well—we certainly won’t pretend to know with any level of certainty what will happen. That said, six months ago (or so), Clinton looked to be an absolute lock for the Democratic nomination with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders a mere distraction at best. That […]

IRS has finalized certain rules and regulations to assist sponsors of employer-provided health coverage (and the carriers of same) in determining whether such coverage meets the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for purposes of the “play-or-pay” rules. Most of the finalized regulations reinforce the proposed regulations from before, but there are few highlights […]

As the clock ticks toward the announcement of final overtime rules, employers will be asking what they can do to get ahead of the curve. The answer? Employers should put in place a proactive preparation and compliance plan so that they can successfully understand the latest government regulations. FLSA preparation tips • Employers should designate a team from […]

The Affordable Care Act deadline for filing Forms 1094-C and 1095-C with the IRS was extended to May 31 for paper filings and to June 30 for electronic filings. The electronic filing process is complex and requires a good deal of advance planning. Employers who are not using an outside vendor for filing should not […]

(Bloomberg) – President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law was dealt another blow as a federal judge ruled a key program intended to reduce consumers’ out-of-pocket medical bills is unconstitutional because it relies on money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress. The ruling on Thursday was a victory for the Republican-led House of Representatives, which challenged […]

With compensation taking up the biggest slice of the benefits pie, employers are paying close attention to the Department of Labor’s proposed changes to the overtime rules – expected to be released as early as this month – under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The proposed rules bump the salary threshold for overtime from $23,600/year […]

Astute employers are reviewing available options to mitigate the potential economic impact of the imminent release of new federal Fair Labor Standards Act overtime regulations. The Department of Labor estimates that average annualized direct employer costs could total between $239.6 and $255.3 million per year. While the DOL initially committed to issuing the new FLSA […]

Low-wage workers face difficult choices in today’s high-out-of-pocket health care system. By Bruce W. Sherman, MD and Wendy D. Lynch, PhD Faced with escalating health insurance costs, employers have been making tough choices in recent years. Given a finite human resources budget, should companies sacrifice wages, benefits-eligible workers or health benefits? Evidence suggests some of […]

It’s no secret that small businesses have a lot to offer: collaborative cultures, less bureaucracy, more relaxed attitudes and, in many cases, they provide employees with the chance to build something from the ground up. That said, small businesses may be lagging behind when it comes to benefit offerings. Only 46% of small business employees […]

Oregon may have 10 carriers returning to its individual major medical market in 2017, but not because they earned solid profits in 2017. State regulators were making 2017 individual market rate filings for at least 10 carriers public on Oregon’s section of the System for Electronic Rate and Form Filing (SERFF) rate review portal. A […]