Benefits Buzz April 2024 | Virginia Benefits Firm

DOL Releases ERISA Enforcement Results for 2023 The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released the results of its Employee Benefits Security Administration’s (EBSA) enforcement actions during fiscal year (FY) 2023. The DOL has broad authority to investigate or audit an employee benefit plan’s compliance with ERISA. EBSA handles audits of employee benefit plans for … Continued

Benefits Buzz March 2024 | Virginia Employee Benefits Partners

IRS Releases ACA Pay-or-Play Penalties for 2025 The IRS recently released updated penalty amounts for 2025 related to the employer shared responsibility (pay-or-play) rules under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For calendar year 2025, the adjusted $2,000 penalty amount is $2,900, and the adjusted $3,000 penalty amount is $4,350. This is a decrease from the … Continued

Benefits Buzz February 2024 | Virginia Benefits Firm

ACA Reporting Deadlines Are Approaching Employers subject to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 or 6056 should prepare to comply with upcoming reporting deadlines. For the 2023 calendar year, covered employers must: Furnish statements to individuals by March 1, 2024 (an alternative method of furnishing statements to covered individuals is … Continued

SCOTUS 2018 Roundup and 2019 Preview | Virginia Benefit Brokers

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard several cases with employment implications during their 2018 session, including the following four cases we covered in detail. (Click the case names to read the full articles.) Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro: Encino shifted the burden of proof in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime exemption … Continued

DOL Updates the Employer CHIP Notice | Virginia Benefit Firm

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has updated the model notice for employers to use to inform employees about the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). All employers with group health plans are required to distribute a CHIP notice at least once a year to employees living in certain states. There is no need to send … Continued

It’s National Hire a Veteran Day | VA Employee Benefit Advisors

On July 25, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) announced its annual celebration of National Hire a Veteran Day with a message for employers: America’s veterans are ready to work. Employers can help veterans successfully transition to the civilian workforce by recognizing their valuable skills and providing access to good, family-sustaining jobs. VETS … Continued

10 Stories That Caught Our Eye in June 2018 | Virginia Benefit Advisors

Are you having a hard time keeping up with the steady flow of news and information that affects your workplace? Let ThinkHR help! We’ve curated some of the stories from business, news, human resources, benefits, and risk management publications that caught our eye this June. Just Don’t Ask Job candidates are covered by the Civil … Continued

The News about Association Health Plans | Virginia Benefit Brokers

On June 19, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor released its Final Rule regarding Association Health Plans (AHPs). AHPs are not new, but they have not been widely available in the past and, in some cases, they have not been successful. The Final Rule is designed to make AHPs available to a greater number of … Continued

It’s Intern Season | VA Employee Benefits

Summer internships offer students opportunities to gain real-world experience and hands-on career development. Conversely, internship programs give employers access to highly motivated and educated young workers and give junior managers more experience training and supervising. There are benefits for everyone involved. However, there are some potential legal and administrative pitfalls that many employers overlook. One … Continued