Tips for Complying with DOL's Retirement Plan Cybersecurity Guidance
”Not if, but when" is a phrase commonly used to describe data breach risk. Holding just under $11 trillion in assets, employer-sponsored retirement plans are a particularly enticing target for cybercriminals. Through audits and best practice guidance, the Department of Labor (DOL) is encouraging…
COBRA Subsidy Update: IRS provides penalty relief and instructions for applying Employment Tax credits
April 15, 2021
by Nathan A. Read
On Tuesday, the IRS published Notice 2021-24, which provides penalty relief for an employer’s failure to timely deposit Employment Taxes[1] related to the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) COBRA subsidy credits. The Notice includes instructions to employers on how to apply COBRA Credits in…
DOL Publishes Model COBRA Notices and Premium Assistance Guidance
April 8, 2021
by Nathan A. Read
On April 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) posted model COBRA notices and issued FAQ guidance addressing the recently-enacted COBRA coverage subsidy. The FAQ guidance specifies that individuals may be eligible for premium subsidies from April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021, if they are…
Injured Workers Cannot Use the Declaratory Judgment Act to Avoid Exclusive Jurisdiction in the Workers' Compensation Commission
The Arkansas Supreme Court recently handed down an opinion that should reassure employers dealing with an incident involving a workplace injury. The Court affirmed that disputes over such injuries belong in the Workers’ Compensation Commission (“Commission”) and that an employee may not utilize the…
Can an Employer Require its Employees to Get the Covid-19 Vaccine?
Yes, but there is a right and wrong way to go about it. And of course, there are exceptions. But more importantly, while an employer can institute such a requirement, the better question to ask might be—should they? More on that below. The Rule: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)…