Civil penalties were recently updated, adjusting for inflation, by the Department of Labor (DOL) for 2024. Federal law requires penalties be adjusted annually by January 15th. Employers found in violation will be assessed these increased penalties beginning after January 15, 2024. The year-over-year inflation increase for 2024 is 3.241%. Annual inflation adjustments are based on [...]
The Department of Labor (DOL) on February 26, 2021 issued the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 which provides guidance on the length of COVID-19 relief to be allowed under the Timeline Extension Rule. Background: On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a national emergency related to COVID-19 and established that the [...]
To help consumers compare the different features of health benefits and coverage, the Affordable Care Act requires all group health plans and health insurance companies to provide individuals a “summary of benefits and coverage” that “accurately describes the benefits and coverage under the plan.” The SBC is a snapshot of a health plan’s costs, benefits, [...]
The Department of Labor (DOL) on occasion will issue opinion letters to clarify employer’s obligations under various federal employment laws. These DOL opinion letters help employers to understand their obligations and can be relied upon to establish a “good faith” defense against certain federal claims. On March 14, 2019, the DOL issued an opinion letter regarding [...]
