The enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 launched an extended period during which far-reaching changes to the American healthcare system took effect.
Affordable Care Act Overview
The ACA was implemented in stages and encompasses several major areas:
Measures to encourage more employers to provide coverage, such as the...
It’s common for employers to provide certain benefits for their employees, many of which are subject to strict rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, and other laws.
Employee benefits can include:
Paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave;
Medical, dental, and vision insurance...
“Qualified benefits” include such things as health insurance, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and short and long-term disability benefits. For example, employees may be given a choice between the more expensive PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) or the less expensive HMO (...
Along with warmer weather and commencement ceremonies, summer internship programs are another sign of the changing seasons. Many employers utilize a student workforce during the summer months. Often, such internships are unpaid or provide low pay or subminimum wage stipends in lieu of wages. Such arrangements may seem like a win- win: Employers...
Many employers are confused about how (and when) to comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). No one wants to be taxed, but what are the rules and deadlines? Here are some ACA challenges we've encountered recently.
Deadline to comply: Size matters!
As a refresher, whether you are a "small" or "large" employer matters. Employers with fewer...
NLRB revives union election proposal. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is revisiting a 2011 effort to change regulations governing union representation elections — changes the NLRB claims would streamline elections and prevent unnecessary litigation. Employer groups strongly opposed the changes when they were proposed in 2011,...
As many of you know, whenever the Maryland Legislature is in session, all Maryland employers have reason to be concerned. This year, the legislature is considering a number of bills that, if enacted, could present significant hardships for employers in Maryland. Let's take a look at some of these legislative initiatives.
Minimum wage bill...
Q My employer is a nonunion company. Can we have a policy that states it isn't appropriate for employees to discuss their wages with each other?
A I frequently run across policies in employment handbooks that prohibit employees from discussing their wages and benefits with coworkers. Often, a policy will state that such information is...
Valentine's Day isn't just about love and romance — it's also typically regarded as the start of divorce season because it's marked by an increase in new divorce filings. Although employers may want to avoid this uncomfortable topic with employees, you can't avoid your legal obligations to an employee's former spouse postdivorce. For a period...
Most of you are familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. It's well-known that Title I of the ADA makes it unlawful for any employer with 15 or more employees to discriminate against a qualified applicant or employee because of a disability in any aspect of...
