Articles
New I-9 Form
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. USCIS made significant changes to the form and its instructions, including a checkbox to indicate an employee’s Form I-9...
DHS Announces Plans for Permanent I-9 Virtual Inspections
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it has plans to issue a proposed rule that would allow employers to verify employee identity and employment eligibility documentation virtually when completing Form I-9 verification requirements. This...
IRS Increases Milage Rate for Remainder of 2022
The Internal Revenue Service announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rate for the final 6 months of 2022. Taxpayers may use the optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business and...
REMINDER: PCORI Fees Due By July 31, 2022
REMINDER: PCORI Fees Due By July 31, 2022Employers that sponsor self-insured group health plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) should keep in mind the upcoming July 31, 2022 deadline for paying fees that fund the Patient-Centered...
Mandatory Arbitration Ban for Sexual-Harassment Claims
Congress has passed a bill that will ban pre-dispute employment arbitration agreements for sexual-harassment and sexual-assault claims. Such arbitration agreements have become quite common. The bill has been sent to the president’s desk for signature. He is expected...
OSHA VACCINATION ETS STAYED – HHS VACCINATION MANDATE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE
In an unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court has issued a stay of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 vaccine or testing mandate on employers with 100 or more employees pending further litigation. As a practical matter, this stay...
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard
On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published the interim final rule on emergency temporary standard. The ETS requires businesses with 100 or more employees to mandate their employees get vaccinated against the...
ARPA Paid Leave and COBRA Tax Credits Ends Today
September 30th marks the end of the ARPA COBRA premium subsidy provisions, which required employers to provide "assistance eligible individuals" (AEIs) with a 100% subsidy for premiums otherwise owed for COBRA coverage. Employers are reimbursed for the...
IRS Issues Affordability Percentage Adjustment for 2022
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Rev. Proc. 2021-36, which contains the inflation adjusted amounts for 2022 used to determine whether employer-sponsored coverage is “affordable” for purposes of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer shared...
President Orders OSHA To Develop Mandatory Vaccine Requirement for Large Employers
President Orders OSHA To Develop Mandatory Vaccine Requirement for Large EmployersOn September 9, 2021, President Biden announced that he ordered OSHA to develop emergency temporary standards (ETSs) that would require employers with 100 or more employees...