The Ninth Circuit’s recent en banc ruling that employers can’t excuse sex-based pay gaps by pointing to workers’ past salaries deepened a circuit split over the federal Equal Pay Act, a development that could push the issue up to the
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Department of Labor Updates COBRA FAQs and Model Notices
On May 1, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued updated Frequently Asked Questions and revised model notices under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). COBRA is a federal law that permits individuals to continue group health plan coverage…
CARES Act—Tax Deferral Opportunities for Employers
The CARES Act created several payroll tax deferral opportunities but also left employer board members and executives asking what exactly was deferred and worrying about “responsible person” liability.
In particular, Section 2302 of the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136) allows…
CARES Act Payroll Tax Forum: IRS Weighs in on High-Profile Employee Retention Tax Credits
Decisions aimed at preserving your workforce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic can have a long-term impact on your business. As you prepare to emerge from government shutdown orders, recall that your workforce is your single most valuable asset.
The…
SARS-COV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Standard in Germany
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Germany has introduced special occupational safety measures to protect the health of employees, restore economic activity and interrupt the chains of infection. On April 16, 2020, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesminister…
UK Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Significant Developments
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued its sixth update to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Guidance (Guidance). Separately, the UK Treasury has issued a Treasury Direction (Direction) to HMRC setting out the legal framework for the Scheme. There…
Recently Updated | COVID-19 FAQs for US Employers
How should US employers approach the Coronavirus? With rapid developments in local, state and federal guidance and law, the appropriate approach for each employer will vary depending on the nature of the work, industries served, location(s), size, amongst other considerations.…
Navigating Telehealth During COVID-19
Lisa Schmitz Mazur discusses what states are doing to make telehealth more available, the changing Medicare reimbursement landscape and compliance considerations for providers implementing telehealth during this time.
SUB-Pay Plans: An Alternative to Severance Programs
SUB-Pay Plans: An Alternative to Severance Programs
While the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy and jobs, employers consider disaster-related employee benefit structures, such as easily administered qualified disaster assistance relief programs and the financially attractive severance alternative known…
COVID-19 — Tax Planning Opportunity for Defined Benefit Participants?
Much has been written about the new CARES Act distribution that allows impacted COVID-19 participants to access up to $100,000 in their tax-qualified defined contribution plan penalty-free and with income taxes spread over three years. However, the CARES Act legislation…