The Bottom Line Effective January 15, 2022, plan coverage of FDA-approved over-the-counter at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests is mandatory. Plan sponsors should immediately contact their pharmacy benefit managers to set up mechanisms for direct coverage of at-home tests.If any questions Continue Reading
Employee Relations Law Journal | To Arbitrate or Litigate Under ERISA – That Is the Question
IRS Provides Much Needed Guidance on COBRA Premium Subsidy
The Bottom Line ARPA’s COBRA subsidy presents a number of complicated administrative issues that employers, plan sponsors and administrators, and insurers alike should consider. In particular, there are a number of nuances to how the Notice may impact plan sponsors.Plan sponsors should consult with Continue Reading
Employee Relations Law Journal | ESG Investing by ERISA Plan Fiduciaries: The DOL Final Regulations
COBRA Changes Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
The Bottom Line The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 requires employers to provide new or updated notices to qualified individuals about the availability and expiration of newly created COBRA subsidies.Plan sponsors should work with their COBRA administrators and ERISA counsel to understand their Continue Reading
Regulators Clarify COVID-19 Relief Deadline Extension
The Bottom Line The newly issued Notice could be quite difficult to apply in practice for plan sponsors and third party administrators, as it requires a plan sponsor and its third party administrators to track each participant’s or beneficiary’s tolling period from the date he/she became entitled Continue Reading
Employee Relations Law Journal | The Department of Labor’s Final Rule Creates a New Electronic Disclosure Safe Harbor for Employee Retirement Plans
IRS Provides Cafeteria Plans with Flexibility Due To COVID-19
The Bottom Line The IRS is allowing employers to amend their cafeteria plans for the 2020 tax year to permit employees to make new employee benefit elections with respect to their healthcare coverage, health FSAs and dependent care FSAs. Employers should work closely with their ERISA counsel to Continue Reading
Retirement Plans: Regulators Provide Relief from Certain ERISA Requirements During the COVID-19 Crisis
The Bottom Line The Notice provides valuable relief from the DOL’s enforcement of certain requirements under Title I of ERISA. However, the Notice does not affect a participant or beneficiary’s enforcement rights under ERISA.Much of the relief provides that enforcement actions will generally not be Continue Reading
COVID-19 Considerations for Retirement Plan Sponsors and Committees
The Bottom Line The novel coronavirus is presenting employers with new challenges on a daily basis. Employers should work closely with their ERISA counsel to ensure that they are administering their qualified retirement plans correctly and satisfying their fiduciary obligations while taking Continue Reading