Understanding Employee Benefits and key developments in the employee benefits field and items of interest to our clients. MORE

Compensation Questions

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which addresses the public economic and health crisis related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The CARES Act includes a temporary provision that allows employers to make tax-free student loan payments on behalf of employees pursuant

The Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Services (“VETS”) issued a new fact sheet (“Fact Sheet”) to help employers better manage their pension obligations under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (“USERRA”). USERRA creates certain rights and protections for uniformed service members. For example, under USERRA, service members who were reemployed after

As mentioned in a previous blog, the IRS has issued its initial guidance on Code Section 162(m), as modified by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.  One important aspect of the guidance is its discussion of preserving deductibility under the transition rule, also known as the 162(m) “grandfather” rule. Under the grandfather rule, compensation paid

On August 21, 2018, the IRS issued its initial guidance on the amendments to Section 162(m) made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, in the form of Notice 2018-68.  The guidance is fairly limited and does not completely address some of the questions it takes on. Notably, the guidance on what compensation will

Over the years we have seen some employers, particularly small employers, choose to provide health coverage to their employees by paying all or part of the premium for individual insurance policies that the employees have obtained. Under an old IRS revenue ruling, Rev. Rul. 61-146, that type of premium subsidy could be provided on a

Recently the Employee Plans Compliance Unit (EPCU) of the Internal Revenue Service completed an informal compliance check of 401(k) plans conducted via an extensive written questionnaire sent to plan sponsors. The results of the compliance checks are being used to refine the focus of plan examination efforts.

This week, the IRS announced that it is

My colleagues on the employment side of our practice have written an Alert summarizing labor and employment laws enacted in the 2013 Minnesota legislative session. The first new law discussed in the Alert is an amendment to Minnesota statutes expanding the allowable uses of employee sick leave to cover illnesses and injuries of adult children,