As the year draws to a close, it is helpful for employers to pause to evaluate employee benefit plan amendment deadlines and other crucial fourth quarter considerations. Read more.
Joy M. Napier-Joyce
IRS Provides Clarity on ARPA COBRA Subsidy Impact on State “Mini-COBRA” Plans
By Joy M. Napier-Joyce & Brian M. Johnston on
Posted in Employee Benefits
In our most recent summary of IRS Notice 2021-31, we noted the Internal Revenue Service provided much-needed clarity to looming compliance challenges as employers, insurers, and others race to implement the applicable COBRA premium subsidy provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). While there are many other important clarifications made by…
IRS Answers to Your American Rescue Plan Act COBRA Subsidy Questions
By Joy M. Napier-Joyce, Suzanne G. Odom & Melissa Ostrower on
Posted in Employee Benefits
In much-anticipated guidance, the Internal Revenue Service has offered its insight on the implementation of the COBRA temporary premium subsidy provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) in Notice 2021-31.
Spanning more than 40 pages, the IRS-answered frequently asked questions (FAQs) finally resolve many issues relating to temporary premium assistance for…
California Legislature Considers Bills Supporting Hazard Pay for Grocery and Health Care Industries
By Joy M. Napier-Joyce & Kymiya St. Pierre on
Posted in California, Wage and Hour
Despite the Governor’s recent announcement for a tentative reopening of the state by June, California’s legislature has been busy passing COVID-19-related laws. At the end of March, the Governor signed Senate Bill 95, which resurrected and expanded supplemental paid sick leave. And more recently, the Governor signed Senate Bill 93, which implemented a statewide…
Happy National Employee Benefits Day, April 6, 2021!
By Joy M. Napier-Joyce on
Posted in Employee Benefits
You didn’t know it was a thing? Or maybe, like most, you just lost track of what day it is? Or maybe it ranks somewhere behind New Beer’s Eve (the day before the end of prohibition) and National Tartan Day, both of which are most certainly things and also fall on April 6th.…
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: COBRA Subsidy, Pension Funding, and Other Employee Benefit Changes
Posted in Employee Benefits
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) is the latest federal COVID-19 relief bill, which the President signed into law on Thursday, March 11, 2021. ARPA includes new COBRA continuation coverage election, notice, and subsidy requirements; pension plan funding relief; and some cost-saving benefit opportunities employees may be able to leverage. Some of these…
COVID-19 Deadline Extensions—No More Time Outs but No Single Deadline Either!!
Posted in Employee Benefits
We recently provided an update on the looming end date for COBRA and other deadline extensions and the uncertainty that continues to add to the administrative burdens without more clarity from the DOL and IRS. Message received, apparently.
On behalf of the IRS, the DOL has now released Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 that attempts to…
COVID-19 Deadline Extensions—Still Relevant to Plan Sponsors?
Posted in Employee Benefits
In May of 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released joint-agency guidance that extended several important deadlines for employees, including COBRA election and payment deadlines, HIPAA Special Enrollment deadlines, and claims submission and appeal deadlines. Under the guidance, plan administrators were required to extend the deadlines that would otherwise apply…