A federal judge in Georgia has denied Sephora’s motion to partially dismiss a former store manager’s discrimination and retaliation suit. Nixaliz Mestre alleges the beauty company fired her after she refused to use a hiring strategy that prioritized white applicants over applicants of color. The case is Mestre v. Sephora USA Inc., case number 1:24-cv-01908, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Read More
Anticipated Retirement Policies under the Second Trump Administration
Federal lawmakers have successfully passed the Social Security Fairness Act, which is now headed to President Joe Biden for his expected signature. The Act eliminates two provisions—the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset—that prevent nearly three million people from collecting their full Social Security benefits. Previously, police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other public Read More
January 2025 | Empowering Plan Sponsor Savings for 2025
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DOL Clarifies Employees May Use FMLA for Clinical Trial Participation
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued DOL Opinion Letter FMLA2024-01-A on November 8, 2024. The Opinion Letter clarifies that eligible employees may take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) when “continuing treatment” of a serious health condition includes participation in a clinical trial. The FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of protected leave time for treating serious health conditions and other Read More
Employers Prepare for SECURE 2.0 Provisions Taking Effect in 2025
Many of the requirements for employers under the SECURE 2.0 Act, which Congress passed in 2022, already have gone into effect. However, some of the major requirements of SECURE 2.0 took effect on January 1, 2025. Specifically, covered employers must automatically enroll employees into new retirement plans, contributing at least three percent of their salary. Individuals will have access to higher-catch-up Read More
Americans Shift Toward High-Deductible Health Plans
Traditionally, enrollment in high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) by individuals under 65 has been higher when purchased directly than when provided through an employer. However, a recent National Health Statistics Report, which examined HDHP enrollment rates between 2021 and 2023, found that HDHP enrollment did not differ significantly between directly purchased and employment-based coverage. Other studies show that Read More
Ex-Dish Marketing Executive Files Sex Discrimination Suit Over “Boys Club” Atmosphere
The former head of a Dish Network in-house ad agency, Nancy Perales, has filed a sex discrimination suit against the company under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. She claims that Dish fired her for failing to report sexual harassment to human resources (HR), although male employees received no discipline in similar incidents. Perales attributed her firing to the “boys club” atmosphere among Dish managers. The case Read More
UnitedHealth Settles Class Action Over Poorly Performing 401(k) Funds for $69 Million
UnitedHealth has agreed to settle a three-year-long class action battle for $69 million, the largest ever settlement in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case. The settlement stems from allegations that UnitedHealth violated its fiduciary duties under ERISA by selecting and retaining poorly performing investment funds for its 401(k) plan. The case is Snyder v. UnitedHealth Group et al., currently Read More
UnitedHealthcare Continues to Face Ongoing Litigation After CEO Murder
While the brazen murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson evoked sympathy in some, it also gave voice to public complaints about the health insurance company’s wrongful denial of claims. Hospitals and other medical providers have recently filed several lawsuits against UnitedHealthcare over nonpayment of claims. As news of the recent murder retreats from the headlines with the capture of a suspect by law Read More
Proposed DOL Rule Would Require at Least Minimum Wage for Workers with Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced its intent to move forward with a rule designed to protect employees with disabilities from receiving substandard wages. The Employment of Workers With Disabilities Under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act would end the practice of issuing new Section 14(c) certificates. These certificates allow employers to legally pay workers with disabilities less Read More
