The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule that clarifies certain aspects of healthcare conscience laws, which sometimes allows healthcare providers to refuse medical treatment based on religious grounds. However, the rule also provides some safeguards against discrimination for patients seeking treatment for conditions related to reproductive care, HIV prevention, and gender Read More
Federal Government Argues Before Fifth Circuit for Fair Arbitration Under No Surprises Act
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently heard arguments over the fairness of an arbitration provision in the No Surprises Act. Some medical providers, including the Texas Medical Association, challenged the provision in court, alleging that the arbitration provision unfairly favored insurers and inhibited arbitrators' discretion to resolve certain disputes under the No Surprises Act. The case is Read More
House Votes to Overturn NLRB’s Joint Employer Rule; Federal Court Ruling Stays Effective Date of Rule
On October 26, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a final rule about the standard for determining joint-employer status under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Under the final rule, an entity qualifies as a joint employer if each entity has an employee-employer relationship with the employees and they share or jointly determine one or more of the employees’ essential terms and conditions of Read More
GA Health System Reaches $2M Settlement in ERISA Class Action
Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Inc., a Georgia company, and a class of some 6,800 retirement plan participants, recently advised a federal district court that they have reached a $2 million settlement in their pending Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case. The parties' joint filing detailed the settlement terms, which would end the plan participants’ class action lawsuit in which they accused Read More
DOL Issues Final Rule Distinguishing Independent Contractors from Employees; NLRB Alters Independent Contractor Standard Under NLRA
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a final rule changing the criteria for classifying independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule, which is largely the same as the proposed rule, takes effect on March 11, 2024. The DOL Final Rule The final rule has significant implications for gig workers, who often work through app-based businesses, freelance workers, and Read More
SECURE 2.0 Student Debt and Education Benefits Available in 2024
SECURE 2.0's new education and student loan benefits went into effect in 2024, which gives employers new opportunities to support their employees. Employers can now match student loan repayments in conjunction with their retirement plans, and employees can roll over 529 Education Savings Plans into Roth IRA savings accounts. Student Loan Repayment Matching Under SECURE 2.0, employers of any size can now offer a Read More
Oklahoma Governor Issues Executive Order Restricting IE&D Programs
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has issued an executive order to severely restrict inclusion, equity, and diversity (IE&D) programs across the state. The order requires all state agencies and public colleges to report how much money they spend on IE&D programs and review the necessity and efficiency of all such programs to eliminate them and dismiss non-critical personnel. The governor’s stated goal is to save Read More
How DOL’s Proposed Automatic Portability Regulations Will Affect Defined Contribution Plans
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued proposed regulations on automatic portability programs. These programs help employees who change jobs consolidate their retirement funds by automatically transferring IRAs from their former plans to their new employers' plans. For 2024, the minimum automatic IRA transfer amount under an automatic portability program is $7,000. Under the proposed regulations, a Read More
Defense Contractor L3Harris Settles ERISA Class Action
A Florida district court judge has administratively closed an ERISA class action lawsuit against defense contractor L3Harris after the parties settled following mediation, subject to court approval of class counsel’s motion for preliminary settlement approval, to be filed within 60 days. The case is Robert J. Stengl et al. v. L3Harris Technologies Inc. et al., case number 6:22-cv-00572, U.S. District Court for the Read More
