Article
November 07, 2024
Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Updates for 2025
  • Benefits
November 07, 2024
Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Updates for 2025

Beginning January 1, 2025, the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave contribution rate will remain the same as 2024 at .88% of eligible wages up to the Social Security wage base ($176,100 in 2025).

  • Benefits
Article
November 07, 2024
Massachusetts Expands Use of Paid Sick Leave to Include Reproductive Loss
  • Benefits, Benefits Administration
November 07, 2024
Massachusetts Expands Use of Paid Sick Leave to Include Reproductive Loss

The Massachusetts earned sick time law allows employees to accrue up to 40 hours of earned sick time per year for an employee’s or employee’s family members medical appointments or for legal or medical services to address domestic violence.

  • Benefits, Benefits Administration
Article
November 07, 2024
2025 Cost of Living Adjustments – Pension and Retirement Plans
  • Benefits
November 07, 2024
2025 Cost of Living Adjustments – Pension and Retirement Plans

The IRS released the 2025 cost of living adjustments (IRS Notice 2024-80) applicable to defined benefit and defined contribution plans.

  • Benefits
Article
November 07, 2024
Section 1557 – A Tortured Past
  • Benefits
November 07, 2024
Section 1557 – A Tortured Past

Section 1557 is the anti-discrimination part of the Affordable Care Act.

  • Benefits
Article
November 07, 2024
What’s a Medical Expense and What’s Preventive
  • Benefits
November 07, 2024
What’s a Medical Expense and What’s Preventive

Recent guidance provides some insight into what qualifies as a medical expense and what qualifies as a permissible preventive cost that can be covered by an HSA qualifying high deductible health plan without jeopardizing HSA eligibility.

  • Benefits
Article
October 03, 2024
October 2024 Employer Regulatory and Legislative Update
  • Benefits
October 03, 2024
October 2024 Employer Regulatory and Legislative Update

As businesses are increasingly focused on reopening and rebuilding, it’s important to stay on top of regulatory and legislative matters to ensure continued compliance.

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
Medicare Mandatory Reporting
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
Medicare Mandatory Reporting

New penalties will begin to apply to failures of Medicare mandatory reporting.

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
Smoker Penalty Mind Your Ps and Qs
  • Benefits, Benefits Consulting
October 02, 2024
Smoker Penalty Mind Your Ps and Qs

In recent months, there has been an increase in lawsuits challenging employer’s wellness programs, specifically as it relates to smoker penalties.

  • Benefits, Benefits Consulting
Article
October 02, 2024
Reproductive Health New Rules Loom
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
Reproductive Health New Rules Loom

In April 2024, regulations were issued specific to strengthening protections to those that receive reproductive health care without risk of their identity or protected health information (PHI) being released to conduct a criminal, civil or for administrative investigative purposes for the act of seeking, obtaining, providing or facilitating reproductive health care where the care is lawful under the circumstances, or to identify any person related to such activities (prohibited purposes).

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
Cybersecurity Extended to Welfare Benefit Plans
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
Cybersecurity Extended to Welfare Benefit Plans

With so much of benefit administration being electronic it should come as no surprise that cybersecurity continues to be an issue.

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
New Notice Requirement for Fixed Indemnity Plans
  • Benefits, Insurance
October 02, 2024
New Notice Requirement for Fixed Indemnity Plans

A quick reminder that fixed indemnity plans must include a notice for plan years beginning January 1, 2025, must include a notice explaining that it is not minimum essential coverage.

  • Benefits, Insurance
Article
October 02, 2024
Benefit Accrual Not Required During Paid Family Leave Says Massachusetts Court
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
Benefit Accrual Not Required During Paid Family Leave Says Massachusetts Court

In the matter of Bodge, et al. v. Commonwealth, et al., Bodge, a state trooper sued the State Police claiming that the State Police’s policy of not providing accrual of benefits, such as vacation or sick time, during paid family leave violated Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA).

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
Delaware Issues Notice of Employee Rights for Paid Family Leave
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
Delaware Issues Notice of Employee Rights for Paid Family Leave

Delaware’s paid family and medical leave law provides up to 12 weeks of leave for certain parental, family caregiving, and medical reasons.

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
New Jersey TDI and FLI Rates for 2025
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
New Jersey TDI and FLI Rates for 2025

Individuals employed in the state of New Jersey may be entitled to temporary benefits for a disability caused by non-occupational sickness or accident, including pregnancy and related medical conditions.

  • Benefits
Article
October 02, 2024
New York Paid Family Leave Updates for 2025
  • Benefits
October 02, 2024
New York Paid Family Leave Updates for 2025

As a reminder, the paid family leave law provides up to 12 weeks of paid time off for baby bonding, to care for a family member, or military exigency.

  • Benefits