In Response to COVID-19 DOL Issues New Rule ERISA Rules, explained by James Venable Esq., SPHR and Sue Woods, Esq. Transcript: Welcome to our Podcast. I’m Sue Woods, and I’m Senior Compliance Counsel at ReedGroup, and I’m here with James Venable, Vice President of Compliance and Employment Law for ReedGroup, a Guardian company. Sue: These … Continued
Just when we thought the Department of Labor (DOL) was taking a break, it published a Final Rule along with several Frequently Asked Questions as they relate to ERISA claims procedures. This guidance is in addition to the DOL Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Disaster Relief Notice, which it issued in partnership with the Department of … Continued
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) recently released Temporary Rule and Q&A guidance concerning the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) provided much-needed detail for employers and third-party leave administrators grappling with administering the FFCRA’s new paid leave entitlements. However, the DOL’s regulations and Q&As contained some surprises for those who were relying on … Continued
More DOL Q&As: Clarifying the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Another day, another group of Q&As from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)! In recent days, the DOL published 20 new Q&As regarding employee benefits and employer obligations under the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act). As we’ve written previously, the FFCRA … Continued
On the same day that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) became effective, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a temporary rule that not only interprets the Act but also provides clarity to the three sets of Q&As previously issued by the DOL. Effective April 1, 2020, the FFCRA applies to private … Continued
UPDATE: Today, April 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) promulgated temporary regulations regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) which went into effect on April 1. These temporary regulations reaffirm the guidance issued by the DOL in its previously issued Q&As. The IRS also got into the game on Tuesday evening, by issuing a directive … Continued
Employers may need to revisit how their collective bargaining agreements (CBA) deal with leave requests from their unionized workforce. A recent Department of Labor (DOL) opinion letter makes clear that the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) doesn’t take a back seat to a CBA that requires employees to exhaust paid leave before utilizing FMLA. … Continued
Parents recently received a thumbs up from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to use intermittent FMLA leave to attend individualized education program (IEP) meetings related to a child with a serious health condition. Issued on August 8, 2019, the DOL’s new opinion letter states that attending IEP meetings falls within the FMLA-qualifying reason of … Continued
May an employee who is unable to work for an FMLA-qualifying reason choose to use paid time off without having it designated as FMLA leave? The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) says, “No.” In a March 14, 2019 opinion letter, the DOL made two significant clarifications on FMLA designations. First, the DOL declared that employers … Continued
Without wasting any time in the New Year, on Friday, January 5th, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the ERISA claims handling regulations that were effective January of last year and delayed until April 1, 2018, will indeed be applicable to disability claims filed on or after April 1, 2018. The DOL … Continued
