Federal Employment Law Update – December 2016 | Virginia Employee Benefits

President Obama Signs 21st Century Cures Act into Law On December 13, 2016, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6) into law. The law allows certain small businesses to use qualified small business health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) without Affordable Care Act (ACA) related penalties. Certain limits to the accounts would apply, including … Continued

DOL Issues Final Rule Requiring Paid Sick Leave for Some Federal Contractor Employees | VA Employee Benefits

Affirmative Action Alert, October 3, 2016 On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor published its Final Rule to implement Executive Order 13706, Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors. President Obama issued the Executive Order on Labor Day 2015, and the Department of Labor issued a proposed rule in February 2016. After receiving more than 35,000 comments, the DOL made … Continued

Transitional Reinsurance (TRP) Contribution Form Due November 15 | VA Employee Benefits

On October 3, 2016, federal officials posted the 2016 Transitional Reinsurance Program Annual Enrollment Contributions Form that health insurers and self-funded plan sponsors (employers) will use to make required payments under the Transitional Reinsurance Program (TRP). The 2016 report is due no later than November 15, 2016. Background The Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits insurers … Continued

Finally, a New I-9 | Virginia Employee Benefits

Since the current version of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, expired on March 31, 2016, employers have been awaiting a new, updated form. On August 25, 2016, the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a revised Form I-9. Consequently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has 90 days to update the form … Continued

Ask the Experts: EEO-1 Filing | Virginia Employee Benefits

Question: What is the EEO-1 report, which companies need to file it, and where do we get the data for the report? Answer: The EEO-1 report is a compliance survey mandated by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. All employers with 15 or more employees are covered by Title VII and are required to … Continued

Update for the Franchise Industry: Is your brand manager creating a “joint employment” relationship with your franchisees’ employees? | VA Employee Benefits

For several years now, franchisors have been the subject of attention in the labor and employment law arenas, and new rules and regulations are challenging franchise relationships in a number of ways. One increasingly important legal question in the franchise world is how the law defines “employer.” The evolving definition of that term is at … Continued

Tips for Preparing Form 5500 | Virginia Employee Benefits

This week many employers and their advisors are putting final touches on their Form 5500, the annual report required for most employee benefit plans. Form 5500 must be filed with the federal government within seven months after the end of the plan year. For calendar-year plans, that means the plan’s 2015 Form 5500 is due … Continued