The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (“CAA”) offers significant relief for employers sponsoring flexible spending accounts. After much clamoring from the employer community, the IRS finally issued clarifying guidance in the form of Notice 2021-15 (the “Notice”). Check out our full Legal Update for details.
I Am Not Throwing Away My [COVID] Shot!
COVID-19 vaccines are finally here! Employers have a lot to think about in how this new tool in the fight against COVID-19 applies in the workplace, and whether it should be a mandatory aspect of employment. Check out the labor and employment considerations about the extent to which an employer should implement a vaccine policy,
Months After Ordering Plans to Disregard Sub-Regulatory Guidance, Trump Administration Learns to Love the Informal FAQs
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 11, the IRS, DOL and HHS issued a series of FAQs clarifying the scope of the FFCRA/CARES Act mandates relating to COVID-19 testing for group health plans and health insurance issuers. This post highlights the key takeaways from those FAQs.
As highlighted in our earlier blog post, it was only
CARES Act Relief: Health and Welfare Plan Provisions
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 27, 2020, the House of Representatives followed the Senate’s lead in voting overwhelmingly to pass the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The President signed the legislation into law shortly thereafter. This blog post highlights the health and welfare benefit provisions contained in the law. Click here to review
Feeling Left Out, Senate Proposes ANOTHER Bill–CARES Act–Mandating COVID-19 Testing
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 19, Senator McConnell introduced the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. While the Act largely focuses on economic relief for businesses and individuals, it did contain certain provision impacting benefit plans (for more on the potential impact for retirement plans, click here). Notably, the CARES Act replicates and
Upcoming Webinar! Employee Benefits in a Time of COVID-19
On Monday, March 23, at 1:00 p.m. Central, Seyfarth partners Diane Dygert, Benjamin Conley, Jennifer Kraft, Kaley Ventura, Jake Downing, and Christina Cerasale are presenting a 1 hour CLE webinar, “Employee Benefits in a Time of COVID-19.”
Keep up with the latest developments and rapidly changing laws and regulations relating to COVID-19 and your benefit
Apparently All it Takes to Get Congress to Agree on Something is a Global Pandemic
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate voted 90-8 to approve HR 6201 without changes. The law generally takes effect no later than 15 days after HR 6201 is signed (expected soon) and would sunset on December 31, 2020.
In somewhat of a surprise move, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to adopt HR 6201 (described here
House Passes Technical Corrections to COVID-19 Relief Bill – One Small Word Creates Many Big Questions
Seyfarth Synopsis: Late Monday night, the House passed a technical corrections package to HR 6201. While most of the changes related to the Bill’s paid sick leave, unemployment insurance and tax credits provisions (click here for a summary of those changes), there was one small change to the health insurance section: The package clarified that
In a Rare Move – House and White House Agree on Initial Coronavirus Relief
Seyfarth Synopsis: Late Friday evening, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill (HR 6201) targeted to provide relief for individuals impacted by the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The bill addresses paid sick leave and the expansion of FMLA. This post, however, is aimed at the provisions applicable to employers’ medical
Don’t Get Caught in the “Low-Hanging Fruit” HIPAA Harvest
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Director of HIPAA enforcement agency cautions that many covered entities are not meeting the basic HIPAA requirements and sees “low-hanging fruit” for enforcement activity.
The Director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS, Roger Severino, recently gave an interview to Law360 about his office’s enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability