Employment Law Letter

Your source for timely updates in Labor and Employment Law

January 15, 2020

2019 ended with a bang for stakeholders of retirement plans with the passage of the SECURE Act, a major piece of federal legislation that will alter the retirement plan landscape for years to come. Signed into law as part of a $1.4 trillion bipartisan spending bill on December 20, the SECURE Act (the full name is the “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019”) contains a wide-ranging assortment of provisions designed to expand…

Employment Law Letter

What Plan Sponsors and IRA Owners Need to Know About the SECURE Act

By Joseph Indelicato, Kelly Smith Hathorn & Richard I. Cohen

January 8, 2020

On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law H.R. 1865, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (now Pub. L. 116-94) (the “Appropriations Act”), which, among other things, contains the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act (the “Act”). The Act is a significant piece of retirement legislation which seeks to expand access to retirement savings for small businesses and part-time workers, promote the availability of annuities as a source of lifetime retirement…

Employment Law Letter

ACA Excise Tax Repealed

By Richard A. Mills

December 30, 2019

On December 20, 2019, the President signed legislation repealing the excise tax, otherwise known as the “Cadillac tax,” on high cost health insurance plans. Both houses of Congress had adopted the legislation the day before, as part of a federal spending package. The excise tax was a component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Without the repeal, the excise tax would have resulted in a 40% levy on health insurance plan costs in excess of…

Employment Law Letter

SHRM Western CT’s The Ever Changing Rules on Medical Marijuana

By Daniel Schwartz

December 10, 2019

Employment Law attorney Daniel Schwartz will help break down the current status of the rules for employers in Connecticut with an eye towards the future as well during SHRM Western CT’s “The Ever Changing Rules on Medical Marijuana” event. Issues regarding hiring, discipline, termination, and drug testing will all be covered. For more information or to register, please click here. WHEN: December 17, 2019 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM EST WHERE: Hampton Inn Danbury, CT…

Employment Law Letter

Premium Processing Service – Available at an Increasingly Premium Price: What are a U.S. Employer’s Options?

By Brenda A. Eckert & Bradley M. Harper

November 26, 2019

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has published a final rule increasing the fee to use its Premium Processing Service from $1,410 to $1,440. The new fee will take effect on December 2, 2019, and requests for Premium Processing postmarked on or after this date must include the new fee. USCIS offers Premium Processing Service for certain employment-based immigration petitions and applications. By paying an additional fee, USCIS guarantees that it will process an…

Employment Law Letter

What to Expect When You’re Expecting the CHRO

By Daniel Schwartz

November 8, 2019

New statistics released by the CHRO show that in the last year, claims of discrimination and harassment are up overall. For employers, that means more “visits” — at least virtually through e-mail, from the agency. But what should you do when you get such a complaint from the CHRO? Well, a few things. The first, don’t panic. Second, call your attorney. And third, maybe you want to listen in on a webinar we are running…

Employment Law Letter

Don’t Delay, Download Your E-Verify Historic Records Report Today!

By Brenda A. Eckert & Bradley M. Harper

November 6, 2019

USCIS has announced that on January 2, 2020 it will dispose of its E-Verify records for cases that are more than 10 years old. Specifically, USCIS will be destroying its E-Verify records that were created on or before December 31, 2009. After January 2, 2020, employers will no longer be able to access USCIS’ E-Verify records for the destroyed cases. Employers wishing to download a copy of USCIS’ E-Verify reports for cases that are subject…

Employment Law Letter

Despite An Uncertain Future ACA’s “Cadillac Tax” Still A Concern For Some Connecticut Employers

By Kelly Smith Hathorn & Joseph Indelicato

October 30, 2019

One hotly debated aspect of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) has been the so-called “Cadillac Tax” on high-cost health benefits, currently slated to take effect in 2022. The Cadillac Tax is a 40% excise tax on the amount of employer-sponsored health care coverage which exceeds $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. (Higher thresholds apply to benefits provided to certain retirees and workers employed in certain high-risk industries.) The thresholds will increase with inflation (as…

Employment Law Letter

Webinar: When the CHRO and EEOC Come Calling – Strategies for Employers

By Daniel Schwartz & Christopher Engler

October 24, 2019

Daniel Schwartz and Christopher Engler will present the webinar “When the CHRO and EEOC Come Calling – Strategies for Employers.” This webinar is appropriate for all in-house counsel, executives, human resources personnel and other employees who may be involved in responding to a complaint of discrimination/harassment at the state or federal level. Topics include: How New 2019 CHRO Laws Will Impact the Process Responding to a CHRO/EEOC Complaint How to Draft a Position Statement Investigations…

Employment Law Letter

Trick or Treat? ICE Offers Guidance on Requirement of Proving Relationship of OPT & STEM OPT Employment to Area of Study

By Brenda A. Eckert & Bradley M. Harper

October 21, 2019

ICE is now conducting worksite inspections for STEM OPT employers. ICE’s stated purpose for conducting these inspections, or “site-visits”, is to confirm that STEM OPT students are receiving work-based practical training that directly relates to their area of study. See our previous post. Since instituting its new “site-visit” enforcement measure, ICE has issued guidance clarifying that the responsibility for describing the direct relationship between the OPT or STEM OPT job and the foreign student’s area…

Employment Law Letter

Your source for timely updates in Labor and Employment Law

Blog Authors

Webinar: What Plan Sponsors and IRA Owners Need to Know About the SECURE Act

What Plan Sponsors and IRA Owners Need to Know About the SECURE Act

ACA Excise Tax Repealed

SHRM Western CT’s The Ever Changing Rules on Medical Marijuana

Premium Processing Service – Available at an Increasingly Premium Price: What are a U.S. Employer’s Options?

What to Expect When You’re Expecting the CHRO

Don’t Delay, Download Your E-Verify Historic Records Report Today!

Despite An Uncertain Future ACA’s “Cadillac Tax” Still A Concern For Some Connecticut Employers

Webinar: When the CHRO and EEOC Come Calling – Strategies for Employers

Trick or Treat? ICE Offers Guidance on Requirement of Proving Relationship of OPT & STEM OPT Employment to Area of Study

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