Have you asked yourself recently: “Are my ERISA plan’s assets and participant data protected from cyberattacks?” If not, you should. The Department of Labor’s (DOL) release of cybersecurity best practices for plans covered by...more
Who Needs to Know -
Employers.
Why It Matters -
A COBRA subsidy has been offered through September 30. Employers must provide notice to participants that the subsidy is ending no later than September 15, 2021....more
The May 31 deadline to notify workers about new COBRA continuation coverage rights is rapidly approaching. Many employers still have questions about who should receive this notice. This alert provides a step-by-step guide to...more
Q: Is medical marijuana an expense reimbursable by the employer?...more
Q: Has the Department of Labor (DOL) issued guidance on the COBRA premium subsidy?...more
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law by President Biden on March 11, packs a powerful one-two punch for employers and employees alike who continue to be sucker punched by the effects of COVID-19. While...more
On March 26, the IRS announced that personal protective equipment (PPE) — such as masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 — are treated as medical care under...more
Who Needs to Know -
Employers who are reopening (or have already reopened) by bringing employees back to their workplaces.
Why It Matters -
Bringing a workforce back to the workplace, whether from teleworking,...more
9/15/2020
/ ADEA ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Title VII ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Who Needs to Know -
Employers and Employees Impacted by COVID-19.
Why It Matters -
Employers and employees alike continue to feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a variety of tax incentives, employers may...more
8/27/2020
/ Business Losses ,
CARES Act ,
Charitable Deductions ,
Charitable Organizations ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Contributions ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Income Taxes ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Deductions ,
Tax Incentives ,
Tax Relief ,
Wage and Hour
Q. Are there any COVID-related tax incentives that could benefit employers and employees?...more
8/27/2020
/ Business Losses ,
CARES Act ,
Charitable Deductions ,
Charitable Organizations ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Contributions ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Income Taxes ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Deductions ,
Tax Incentives ,
Tax Relief ,
Wage and Hour
COVID-19 continues to throw us curveballs. While some states that were continuing on their path to recovery are having to backtrack, others have managed to temporarily halt the progression of COVID-19 and are proceeding as...more
7/17/2020
/ COBRA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Furloughs ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Layoffs ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Retirement Plan ,
Return-to-Work Agreements
This is an update to our “Summary of CARES Act and FFCRA Tax Credit and Payroll Tax Relief” chart published on May 21, 2020, that summarizes the payroll and tax credit programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic...more
7/15/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Relief Measures ,
Sick Leave ,
Sick Pay ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Planning
Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton are producing a series of podcasts to discuss employee benefits, executive compensation, and labor and employment issues that employers are confronting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,...more
6/9/2020
/ Cafeteria Plans ,
CARES Act ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Deadlines ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Flexible Spending Accounts ,
HDHP ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
IRS ,
New Guidance ,
New Legislation ,
Student Loans ,
Telehealth
This chart is a high-level overview of the various payroll and tax credit programs under the CARES Act and FFCRA and does not include the eligibility and technical requirements of each program, which are highly complex....more
5/24/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Federal Loans ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Popular ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Sick Leave ,
Sick Pay ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Relief
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, many employers have been faced with the difficult task of taking short-term measures to preserve long-term viability. Measures taken include layoffs, furloughs, reduced work schedules, and...more
The payroll and tax credit programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) involve highly complex eligibility and technical requirements....more
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provides additional payroll-related relief to employers struggling to meet payroll obligations amid the COVID-19 crisis. These relief provisions are separate...more
4/5/2020
/ Business Interruption ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Federal Loans ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Small Business ,
Tax Relief
As most employers know, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) on March 18. The Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act (EFMLA) portion of the FFCRA provides up to 12 weeks of partially paid...more
As most employers know, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) on March 18. The Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) portion of the FFCRA provides up to 12 weeks of...more
3/27/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
EFMLA ,
EPSLA ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
New Legislation ,
Relief Measures ,
Sick Leave ,
Sick Pay ,
Tax Credits ,
Trump Administration
It is hard to find a sector of the American workforce that has not been affected by the COVID-19 emergency. Employees are being asked to work from home if they are able, businesses are being forced to close, and employers are...more
3/20/2020
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Cafeteria Plans ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Full-Time Employees ,
HDHPs ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
HSA ,
Self-Insured Health Plans ,
Telemedicine ,
Temporary Employees ,
Testing Requirements ,
Virus Testing
Covering legal developments and regulatory news for registered funds, their advisers and industry participants through June 30, 2019.
Auditor Independence With Respect to Certain Loans or Debtor-Creditor Relationships -
On...more
7/19/2019
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Capital Formation ,
Common Reporting Standard (CRS) ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Duty of Care ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
ETFs ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Form CRS ,
Investment Management ,
Investor Protection ,
Public Comment ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation S-X ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Q. Are there any new laws in Massachusetts that my company should be aware of?
A. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker recently signed a bill that will serve as a turning point for working families....more
Q. Are there any Equal Pay Acts that apply specifically to employers in Massachusetts and New Jersey?
A. On July 1, 2018, an updated equal pay law becomes effective in Massachusetts, referred to as “MEPA” (Massachusetts...more
4/23/2018
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Pay ,
Equal Pay Act ,
Gender-Based Pay Discrimination ,
Glass Ceiling ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Pay Gap ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
On March 15, in Chamber of Commerce v. U.S. Department of Labor, No. 17-10238 (5th Cir. March 15, 2018), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) fiduciary rule in a 2-1 decision. ...more
3/20/2018
/ Best Interest Contract Exemptions ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Retirement Plan ,
Vacated
Q. I have employees in Massachusetts. Do I need to pay for accrued sick leave upon termination?
A. In a recent opinion, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court followed the lead of most other jurisdictions in finding...more