Insights

On February 9, 2023, the DOL issued Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2023-1 to provide guidance to internal staff regarding remote workers. Among other items, the FAB addresses FMLA eligibility when employees telework or work away from an employer's facility. FAB 2023-1 explains that employees who telework are eligible for FMLA leave on the same basis as employees who report to any other worksite to perform their job. To review, employees are eligible for FMLA leave when they have worked for th

On February 9, 2023, the DOL released an opinion letter regarding whether the FMLA entitles an employee to reduce their workday hours indefinitely due to a chronic serious health condition. The letter also explains that FMLA leave is in addition to and distinct from employee protections provided under other laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A DOL opinion letter provides a fact-specific response to an inquiring employer's questions. Although limited in scope to the issu

On January 30, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury (collectively, the departments), issued proposed rules to amend regulations regarding coverage of certain contraceptive preventive services under the ACA. Current regulations require non-grandfathered group health plans and non-grandfathered group or individual health insurance coverage to cover certain contraceptive services without cost-sharing unless an exemption exis

The IRS recently released the updated Publication 969: Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans for use in preparing 2022 tax returns. This publication provides basic information about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs) and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), such as eligibility requirements, contribution limits and distribution rules. The latest update includes reminders on important provisions for cons

On February 6, 2023, the IRS released an Operational Compliance List (OC List) to help plan sponsors and practitioners achieve operational compliance by identifying changes in qualification and Code Section 403(b) requirements effective during a calendar year. The OC List was posted pursuant to IRS Revenue Procedure 2022-40, which was issued on November 7, 2022, and allows 403(b) retirement plans to use the same individually designed retirement plan determination letter program currently used b

On February 8, 2023, the IRS released Announcement 2023-6, indicating that they intend to issue opinion letters for pre-approved defined benefit plans that were amended based on the 2020 plan qualification requirements changes and were filed with the third six-year remedial amendment cycle. The IRS expects to issue the opinion letters on and after February 28, 2023. Beginning in 2016, the IRS implemented a staggered remedial amendment process for pre-approved plans by creating separate six-year

On February 6, 2023, a Texas federal district court ruled in Texas Medical Association v. HHS that the federal agency failed to follow legislative intent when it issued the second version of its rules governing the surprise billing independent dispute resolution (IDR) process of the No Surprises Act (NSA). As a result, the court remanded the rulemaking to the agency for another revision. This case is one of a series of lawsuits brought against HHS by the Texas Medical Association (TMA) challeng

By Moiré Morón, VP, Advocacy and Technical Key Points on BIPA First, BIPA provides a private right of action to any individual who is aggrieved. Second, BIPA claims are usually brought as class actions, with a large share of lawsuits brought by employees against employers arising out of the use of fingerprint time-keeping policies, widely used in retail and hospitality. Third, BIPA is effectively a strict liability statute. This means that any violation, whether negligent or reckless, automati

The Department of Health posted the 2023 covered-lives assessment (CLA) rates for professional education under the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA). These rates are applicable to health claim payers (including self-insured plans) that elect to pay the assessment directly to the state rather than facing higher surcharges for in-state hospital expenses. The annual amount owed by the payer is calculated based on the number of covered individuals residing in the state. The HCRA was enacted to provide