Blog Archives

• Nothing Is Certain, But Death and LESS Taxes…

  Posted on January 24, 2018

  On January 11, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service released its income tax withholding tables for 2018 reflecting changes made by the December 2017 tax reform legislation. The updated withholding information provides the new rates for employers to use during 2018. Employers are encouraged to use these tables as soon as possible… Read more »

• IRS Extends Deadline for Employers to Furnish Forms 1095-C and 1095-B

  Posted on December 27, 2017

  On December 22, 2017, the IRS released Notice 2018-06 to extend the due date for employers to furnish 2017 Form 1095-C or 1095-B under the Affordable Care Act’s employer reporting requirement. Employers will have an extra 30 days to prepare and distribute the 2017 form to individuals. The due dates… Read more »

• Tax Reform: What It Means for Employee Benefit Plans

  Posted on December 27, 2017

  Although early versions of tax reform bills would have affected several types of employee benefits, the final bill makes very few changes and those changes are fairly modest. Employers and their advisors will want to pay particular attention to issues affecting commuter benefits, loan provisions under 401(k) and similar plans,… Read more »

• Federal Law Update-December 2017

  Posted on December 27, 2017

  On December 4, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) regarding the tip regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the proposed rule, workplaces could permit tip sharing among more employees. The proposed rule would apply to employers that pay… Read more »

• OSHA Extends Reporting Deadline to December 15, 2017

  Posted on November 30, 2017

  ThinkHR previously reported  (Are You Ready  to Electronically Report Injuries and Illnesses to OSHA) that December 1, 2017 was the deadline for certain employers to use the Occupational Safety and Health Agency’s (OSHA) Injury Tracking Application (ITA) portal to report information from their 2016 Form 300A regarding employee illnesses and… Read more »

• How to Make the Most Out of Your FSA at Year-End

  Posted on November 30, 2017

  As 2017 comes to a close, it’s time to act on the money sitting in your Flexible Spending/Savings Account (FSA). Unlike a Health Savings Account or HSA, pre-taxed funds contributed to an FSA are lost at the end of the year if an employee doesn’t use them, and an employer… Read more »

• 6 Open Enrollment Considerations You Should Keep in Mind

  Posted on November 30, 2017

  What better way to kick off our holiday-season stress than with talk of deductibles, coinsurance and high premiums? Welcome to open enrollment, where employees can re-evaluate their health care options each November. In an effort to simplify the process, here are six factors to consider when deciding what’s best for… Read more »

• President Directs Federal Agencies to Consider ACA Changes

  Posted on October 16, 2017

  On October 12, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order directing the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Treasury to develop new rules to allow some exemptions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Order indicates the Administration’s priorities although it has no immediate effect since… Read more »

• HHS Withdraws Health Plan Certification Rules

  Posted on October 16, 2017

  On October 3, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) withdrew proposed rules that would have required health plans to certify their compliance with certain electronic transaction standards. Although most employers would not have been affected directly, because their plans are handled by insurance carriers, self-funded employers were… Read more »

• Emergency vs. Urgent – What’s the Difference in Walk-In Care?

  Posted on October 16, 2017

  We’ve all been there – once or twice (or more)—when a child, spouse or family member has had to gain access to healthcare quickly. Whether a fall that requires stitches; a sprained or broken bone; or something more serious, it can be difficult to identify which avenue to take when… Read more »