The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990 (OWBPA), amending the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), was enacted to prohibit employers from discriminating against older workers by denying certain employee benefits to them.
In some circumstances, an employee's rights under the OWBPA and the ADEA can be waived if specific criteria...
COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) provides a safety net for employees and their families to keep their health insurance, at their own expense, when they’re between jobs or when other life major events, such as divorce, occur.
Generally, COBRA health insurance coverage can last up to a maximum of 36...
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...
Many federal employment laws are administered and enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Some of the employment-related laws the agency oversees include the following:
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). This Act's reporting requirements for continuation of health-care provisions is administered by the DOL's...
By Stacey Rose Harris
DiMuroGinsberg, P.C.
This is the third and final article in our series addressing your obligations under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly referred to as COBRA. Under COBRA, employers with 20 or more employees must allow employees to purchase health insurance after a “...
In 1986, Congress passed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act to give employees and their families a temporary extension of healthcare benefits once their employment ended.
Now, 25 years later, many HR professionals are still scratching their heads as they try to decipher COBRA regs and deadlines -- from deciding which employees...
By Stacey Rose Harris
DiMuroGinsberg, P.C.
This article is the second in a series discussing your obligations under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly referred to as COBRA. Under the law, employers with 20 or more employees must allow their workers to purchase health insurance after a “qualifying event,...
By Stacey Rose Harris
DiMuroGinsberg, P.C.
This article is the first in a series discussing your obligations under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly referred to as COBRA. Under the law, employers with 20 or more employees must allow their workers to purchase healthcare coverage after a "qualifying event," the...
By Michael Bindner
Frost Brown Todd LLC
The IRS is stepping up its COBRA audits. In response, employers should consider implementing an audit procedure to aid the effectiveness of their COBRA procedures and their defense of an IRS audit.
Overview
COBRA requires employers’ group health plans to offer qualified beneficiaries (certain...
In today’s uncertain economic climate, both organizations and employees are scrambling to contain their respective health care expenses. As a result, the workplace wellness program has rapidly become a tool that both are using to reduce medical costs. Unfortunately, employers don't realize that wellness programs are subject to a number of...