Regulations Issued on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity in Group Health Plans

Employers may need to act as a result of regulations implementing expanded health parity requirements for group health plans. The interim final rules, published in yesterday’s Federal Register, require the integration and coordination of the... Read more »

State E-Verify and I-9 Laws – 2010 Updates

E-Verify, the Internet-based system operated by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that allows employers to verify the employment eligibility of employees, remains voluntary at the federal level with the exception of certain fed... Read more »

The Learned Professional Overtime Exemption: What You Need to Know

There are limitations frequently misunderstood to using the Learned Professional Exemption to avoid overtime pay.  Courts interpreting this exemption to FLSA often require an advanced degree or license that ... Read more »

Supreme Court to Review Employee Privacy in Text Messages

Many organizations believe they have the right to monitor employees'activities on their computers and the Internet, including the sites theyvisit and the content of e-mails they send or receive. Such a belief... Read more »

New Obligations to Self-Report Excise Taxes for Group Health Plan Failures

Until now, no mandate or procedure has existed for employers to self-reportexcise taxes due under the Internal Revenue Code for violations of theduties imposed by COBRA, HIPAA and other laws relating to... Read more »

New Penalty for Failing to Report Payments to Medicare Beneficiaries

Beginning January 1, 2010, a failure to comply with a new requirement forreporting to Medicare payments to Medicare-eligible individuals forresolution of claims involving medical expenses could cost the payor$1,000 per day in... Read more »

Remember That Post You Wrote About Me on MySpace? You’re Fired.

Employee gossip about supervisors is as ancient as chatter around the watercooler. But the dynamics of workplace gossip have gone through massivechanges since online social networking sites like MySpace and Facebookfound their... Read more »

An Update For Employers on Domestic Partnership and Same-Sex Marriage Laws

Despite a November voter referendum in Maine that overturned the state's same-sex marriage law and a very recent rejection of same-sex marriage by the New York State Senate, the year 2009 saw progress for... Read more »

COBRA Subsidy Extended

The extension of the COBRA health insurance subsidy, signed into law by President Obama on December 21st after an 88-10 vote by the Senate, will provide additional relief for a record number of unemployed... Read more »

Legislation Proposed to Extend Domestic Partner Benefits to Federal Government Employees

If passed, a proposed federal law entitled the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act will extend long-awaited comprehensive benefits to same-sex domestic partners of federal employees. Read more »