April 9, 2021
Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the ACA
3/24/2021 Update: CMS has extended the new special enrollment period for marketplaces using the Heathcare.gov platform until August 15, 2021. See the updated CMS FAQs for more information. On January 28, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the ...
April 9, 2021
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | Part 2: DCAPs and Exchange Health Insurance
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Act). The Act is a $1.9 trillion legislative package, which contains several provisions intended to relieve employers and families from some of the economic burdens associated with COVID-19. The Act contains funding ...
March 17, 2021
The “Magical” HR Formula
The People team, Human Resources, Human Capital….no matter what you call the HR team, they are necessary to keep a business running smoothly. As firms add people to their headcount or new geographies to the map, a common question is whether the company has the “right” number of HR people. The ...
March 17, 2021
Managing from Down Under
The days of waiting for your manager to provide play-by-play instruction have fallen by the wayside in favor of “managing up,” a term in corporate-speak that simply means “managing your manager.” Dana Brownlee, renowned leadership influencer, defines “managing up” as an employee “customizing ...
March 17, 2021
The Desk Edit
The “Home Edit” craze took over Instagram newsfeeds in recent months. Followers of this organizational powerhouse posted pictures of perfectly organized drawers and color-coded closets. But devotees are doing it for more than just some attention on the “gram.” Research shows that decluttering ...
March 17, 2021
MOOCs: Free, Ivy-League Education
The quote “once you stop learning, you start dying” is attributed to the great inventor Albert Einstein. The sentiment is a good reminder for those who put their educational pursuits on hold last year when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic swept across the world. You may have been thinking ...
March 15, 2021
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | Part 1: COBRA Premium Assistance
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Act). The Act is a $1.9 trillion legislative package that includes pandemic relief for individuals and families. The Act contains several provisions including funding to the Centers for Disease Control and ...
March 6, 2021
Compliance Recap | February 2021
February was a relatively busy month in the employee benefits world. The Department of Labor (DOL) issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 regarding the end of the COVID-19 outbreak period. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2021-15 providing guidance on health flexible ...
March 2, 2021
Extended Time Frames for Employee Benefit Plans
3/2/2021 Update: The DOL issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 providing that the outbreak period relief noted below ends on the earlier of one year from the date an individual or plan was first eligible for relief (extension period) or the original outbreak period of 60 days after the ...
March 2, 2021
Employee Benefits Security Administration Disaster Relief Notice 2020-01
3/2/2021 Update: The DOL issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 providing that the outbreak period relief noted below ends on the earlier of one year from the date an individual or plan was first eligible for relief (extension period) or the original outbreak period of 60 days after the ...
