Annual benefits enrollment, which for many companies will be in the coming months, typically lasts one to two weeks, but the preparation process begins several months in advance. For human resources (HR) and benefits teams, this period often involves a
ML BeneBits
ML BeneBits, published by Morgan Lewis, focuses on legal developments and practical guidance related to employee benefits and executive compensation. The blog covers topics such as ERISA compliance, wellness program litigation, restrictive covenants in corporate transactions, annual benefits enrollment strategies, and regulatory updates from the Department of Labor. It also addresses emerging trends in retirement investing, including the impact of executive orders on alternative investment options within retirement plans. The content is aimed at plan sponsors, human resources professionals, and executives navigating the complexities of benefits administration and regulatory compliance.
Latest from ML BeneBits - Page 2
DOL Rescinds Guidance on ERISA Plan Sponsor Vendor Diversity Program
By Morgan Lewis
The US Department of Labor (DOL) has withdrawn prior guidance from 2023 supporting racial equity programs aimed at increasing racial diversity in a plan’s asset manager pool. That prior guidance had provided comfort to plan sponsors with vendor diversity programs…
Latest Executive Order Could Redefine Retirement Investing
By Morgan Lewis
The US administration recently issued an executive order to expand access to alternative investments in ERISA-governed retirement accounts. The order titled Democratizing Access to Alternative Investments for America’s Workers aims to modernize retirement plan investment options by including alternative investments,…
IRS Guidance on Uncashed and Reissued Checks: An Opportunity to Review Payment Practices
By Morgan Lewis
In a release that was fairly unsurprising in content, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Ruling 2025-15 to address a payor’s tax withholding and reporting obligations with respect to stale and reissued retirement plan distribution checks. Importantly, to the extent…
One Big Beautiful Bill: Impact on Welfare Benefits
By Morgan Lewis
President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) into law on July 4, 2025. The OBBB is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that introduces significant reforms across multiple areas of federal policy, including changes affecting group health plans…
Reproductive Healthcare Privacy Final Rule Vacated by Texas Court
By Morgan Lewis
The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas on June 18, 2025 vacated portions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (2024 Final Rule) related to reproductive healthcare privacy. The ruling in the case…
US Administration Announces Intent to Replace Biden-Era ESG Rule
By Morgan Lewis
The US Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) position on the appropriateness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing strategies in ERISA-regulated retirement plans has ping-ponged for decades ( as we’ve covered previously ). A recent statement from Trump administration attorneys in…
Executive Order Targets Prescription Drug Pricing: Potential Impact on Group Health Plans
By Morgan Lewis
President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO) on May 12, 2025 to address the high cost of prescription drugs in the United States with the goal of ensuring Americans have access to most-favored-nation (MFN) pricing, which aligns drug prices…