COVID-19
June 9, 2020
Key Tips for Conducting Virtual Interviews
When quarantine officially came into effect, thousands of businesses with no remote work policy in place scrambled to piece together teleworking procedures robust enough to handle the complications of COVID-19. For many it was a learning process, a time of continual adjustment to find the right ...
June 3, 2020
IRS Extension of 2019 Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines
On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued an emergency declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in response to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Section 7508A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Code), as ...
May 18, 2020
CMS Bulletin on Extension of Timeframes Due to COVID-19
On March 13, 2020, President Trump issued the Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak and by separate letter made a determination, under Section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, ...
May 18, 2020
Compliance Recap | April 2020
April was a busy month in the employee benefits world. The President signed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (PPPHCEA). The Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) released a final rule extending certain timeframes under the ...
May 14, 2020
IRS Notice 2020-33
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued IRS Notice 2020-33 (Notice) that increases the limit for unused health flexible spending account (health FSA) carryover amounts from $500 to a maximum of $550 (carried over from a 2020 plan year to a 2021 plan year), as adjusted annually for inflation. ...
May 14, 2020
IRS Notice 2020-29
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued IRS Notice 2020-29 (Notice) that provides increased flexibility for making mid-year elections or changes under a Section 125 cafeteria plan during calendar year 2020 related to employer-sponsored health coverage, health flexible spending arrangements ...
May 13, 2020
Employee Retention Tax Credit: Qualified Health Plan Expenses FAQ Update
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated its COVID-19-Related Employee Retention Credits: Amount of Allocable Qualified Health Plan Expenses FAQs. The FAQs provide guidance on determining the amount of allocable qualified health plan expenses that may be treated as qualified wages for the ...
May 8, 2020
Updated Department of Labor Model COBRA Notices
The Department of Labor (DOL) released updated Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) model notices and frequently asked questions (FAQs) providing general information on the updated model notices. The FAQs note that the DOL provides a model general COBRA notice and ...
May 4, 2020
Final Rule on the Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries Due to COVID-19
On March 13, 2020, President Trump issued the Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak and by separate letter made a determination, under Section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, ...
May 4, 2020
FAQ on Issuer Flexibility for Utilization Management and Prior Authorization Due to COVID-19
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) on utilization management and prior authorization under individual, large group, and small group plans offered by health insurance issuers to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ...
