The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) established a new structure whereby a group of unrelated employers could participate in a single defined contribution plan called Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) as of January 1, 2021.  How PEPs are Managed Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) must be administered by a Pooled Plan Provider (PPP), which acts as the plan sponsor, handling all Read More

Not to be upstaged by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) continues to present daily management challenges. For covered employers, the FMLA entitles eligible employees to 12 workweeks of unpaid job-protected leave for family and medical leave, and up to 26 workweeks for military caregiver leave. In practice, however, the FMLA has been misunderstood to significantly Read More

Especially for growing businesses, claims of pay inequities could do substantial economic and reputational harm. If structured with risk management in mind, pay equity audits are instrumental in reducing long-term legal and reputational costs. Under relevant federal laws, employers’ efforts to remediate pay disparities may limit liability based on bad faith or intentional violations. In certain states, safe harbor Read More

With states and localities across the country taking varying and, in some cases, uncertain approaches to reopening schools, employers have struggled to properly administer Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leaves based on school closures and childcare unavailability. Under its powers to administer and enforce FFCRA, the Department of Labor (DOL) has taken an active approach to penalizing Read More

As we near our national election day, employers across the country have been struggling with managing disruptive political speech to the workplace. As your risk management partner, we offer the following three legal risk management tips for addressing employees’ political speech. Tip #1 – Focus on the “what” not the “why." When political arguments become disruptive or otherwise violate company policy, Read More

As the effects of the coronavirus pandemic are experienced across the country, wrongful death and gross negligence claims are on the rise, particularly by the families of employees who believe their loved ones may have come into contact with COVID-19 on the job. Under normal circumstances, workplace injuries and illnesses are handled through the workers’ compensation system. Wrongful death and gross negligence Read More

For many employers, the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated ongoing legal compliance challenges. As one example, with a sudden and sharp increase in requests for accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers across the country learned that they may benefit from a more streamlined and efficient ADA process. Just this week, on September 8, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Read More

A recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is a reminder to employers that fiduciary responsibility under ERISA is nontransferable, even when a third-party administrator (TPA) commits an error that leads to litigation. Background Kathleen Sullivan was employed by the New York Telephone Company, a predecessor to Verizon, from 1970 to 1978 with an annual income of $18,600. She received Read More