Employee Benefits / Employment Law / HR
Showing 81–96 of 653 results
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COMPLIANCE ALERT
October / November 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 125
Abstract: This feature lists a few key tax reporting deadlines for October and November.
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New IRS preapproved plan regime takes effect
October / November 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 497
Abstract: Last year, in Revenue Procedure 2017-41, the IRS announced a new regulatory regime for defined contribution plans. The regime was issued to encourage employers with individually designed plans to convert to the preapproved format. This article discusses what employers should know going forward to meet the October 1, 2018, deadline for prospective submitters of “preapproved” defined contribution plan documents.
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Investing in HSAs for long-term retirement goals
October / November 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 405
Abstract: Retirement plans are about saving for the cost of living in ― retirement. And typically one significant expense for retirees is medical bills. Actuaries at Fidelity Investments estimate that a typical 65-year-old couple retiring in 2018 will incur $280,000 in combined out-of-pocket health expenses during their retirement, excluding the cost of long-term care. This brief article discusses Health Savings Accounts, when employers can offer them to participants and why participants may be interested in them.
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Investment option overload? A cautionary tale from Yale University
October / November 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 662
Abstract: When it comes to defined contribution plan investment options, giving participants an abundance of choices can backfire. Yale University recently dodged a bullet in this regard when it beat back — at least initially — a class action lawsuit accusing the institution of an ERISA breach. This article discusses why the case is instructive for plan sponsors. Vellali et al v. Yale, Civil No. 3:16–cv–1345 (AWT), 03/30/2018
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Why target date fund oversight matters
October / November 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 870
Abstract: Money management giant Vanguard began tracking the popularity of funds with professionally managed allocations — primarily target date funds (TDFs) — in 2003. Over the years, the organization has reported a steady growth of their prevalence in defined contribution retirement plans. As of the end of 2017, 58% of participants invested in a TDF, and Vanguard projects that number will hit 77% by 2022. This article discusses the reasons behind the TDF explosion, and a short sidebar covers some tips from the Department of Labor.
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COMPLIANCE ALERT
August / September 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 87
Abstract: This feature lists a few key tax reporting deadlines for September.
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Do you know what to do with an SOC report?
August / September 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 402
Abstract: Service organization control (SOC) reports come in several varieties. They generally pertain to service organizations, like retirement plan recordkeepers or third party administrators (TPAs). The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) determines the scope of each SOC report. This short article reviews the types of SOCs and the reason for their use.
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New rules affect disability benefit claim denials in retirement plans
August / September 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 447
Abstract: Retirement plans (or other ERISA-regulated benefits, including nonqualified “top hat” plans) containing a disability benefit are affected by the new DOL rules that took effect in April 2018. The new regulations, in the works since 2015, pertain to disability claims and the processes governing appeals of a denial of disability benefits. This article reminds sponsors of 401(k) plans and defined benefit pension plans with disability benefits that they have until the end of this year to amend their plans to reflect the new rules.
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Keep your eye on the ball – Plan forfeitures must match plan document
August / September 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 804
Abstract: It’s a routine matter for employees to forfeit retirement plan benefits. Even so, plan sponsors can’t afford to become blasé about it; ERISA demands more than an “easy come, easy go” attitude about the matter. This article reviews how plans can forfeit benefits and when benefits are forfeited. A short sidebar covers what plans can do with forfeited funds.
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Charging plan expenses to participants correctly
August / September 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 852
Abstract: Shaving a few basis points off plan participants’ annual returns on their retirement plan accounts can put a significant dent in their asset accumulations by the time they’re ready to retire. For that reason, the question of which plan expenses are charged to participants, and which must be borne by the plan sponsor, is a critical issue to resolve correctly. Improperly allocating expenses to participants could be a serious fiduciary breach. This article summarizes the difference between administrative and settlor functions and which can be charged as plan expenses.
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ADEA case pivots on communication attempts
July / August 2018
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 566
Abstract: In a recent Third Circuit case, an employee had to show that her employer’s proffered reasons for terminating her were pretext for age and disability discrimination in violation of the ADEA and the Rehabilitation Act. But the employee never asked to return to work, nor did she ask for or was denied a work-related accommodation. This article reveals the court’s decision. Tolliver v. Trinity Parish Foundation et al., No. 17-2929, Jan. 26, 2018 (3rd Cir.)
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How gender stereotypes contribute to sexual orientation discrimination
July / August 2018
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 746
Abstract: An employee was fired for alleged misconduct with a female client. However, he claimed he was really fired because he was gay. To show that this termination was actionable under Title VII, he had to argue before the Second Circuit that discrimination based on sexual orientation is a form of sex discrimination. This article explores the issues, including related Supreme Court rulings. Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc., No. 15-3775, Feb. 26, 2018 (2nd Cir.)
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Double whammy – “Sex plus age” theory is tested in court
July / August 2018
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 553
Abstract: The “sex plus age” theory is a relatively new approach to arguing that an employer has discriminated against an employee. Some courts have accepted the theory, but the Fifth Circuit decision in Dawn Best v. William Johnson proves that there’s no judicial consensus. This article summarizes the case and the court’s reasoning. Dawn Best v. William Johnson, No. 17-60044, Feb. 7, 2018 (5th Cir.)
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Put it in writing – When employment terms factor into overtime pay eligibility
July / August 2018
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 914
Abstract: When are employees exempt from overtime compensation? In a Sixth Circuit case, two workers asserted they were entitled to overtime pay according to the FLSA. This article describes how the salary-basis test, and whether the employee’s salaries were guaranteed by the employer, helped the court make its decision. A sidebar looks at a similar overtime compensation dispute. Hughes v. Gulf Interstate Field Services, Inc., No. 17-3112, Dec. 19, 2017 (6th Cir.) Anani v. CVS Rx Services, Inc., No. 11–2359–CV, Sept. 20, 2013 (2nd Cir.)
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COMPLIANCE ALERT
June / July 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 135
Abstract: This feature lists a few key tax reporting deadlines for June and July.
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Using targeted education to narrow the gender gap in retirement savings
June / July 2018
Newsletter: Employee Benefits Update
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 296
Abstract: In employment settings in which women save less for retirement than men, an aggressive educational program can help to narrow the gap. This short article highlights a recent study from the Center for Retirement Research that looked at an initiative in Wisconsin to close a retirement saving gender gap among state employees.