School’s out! Summer is here, and it’s the time of year when working parents have questions about using their Dependent Care Spending Accounts (DCSAs). Are summer camp expenses eligible? What about day versus overnight camps? Employers and benefit advisors want to be ready with answers about this valuable benefit program. The following are the top summertime questions about DCSAs and reimbursable expenses: 1. What are the basic rules for reimbursable expenses? Dependent car

Here we go again: RIF on overtime rule sent to OMB — FEDERAL NEWS The Labor Department announced on June 27 that it has sent a Request for Information on the controversial overtime rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. When published, the RFI will provide a public opportunity for comment. The embattled final rule would have gone into effect December 1, 2016, nearly doubling the salary threshold for the executive, administrative, and professional (EAP)

Coverage to age 26: Stays the same. Dependents remain on there parents plan until age 26, married or not. Subsidy for purchasing individual health insurance: The ACA (Obamacare) provided subsidies for those who earned between 132% and 400% of the federal povertly line. If you fell into that category, the cost to your family to purchase the second lowest cost silver plan available in your market is limited to 9.65%. Under the BCRA, the subsidies are provided for those earnin

Suspending employee upon return from FMLA leave, firing her after skipped meeting, did not show retaliation — FEDERAL NEWS Though the timing of adverse actions taken against an administrative assistant was suspicious—as she was suspended for purported misconduct the day she returned from her FMLA leave and fired after she skipped her disciplinary meeting—she was unable to revive her FMLA retaliation claim. She may have disagreed with the decision, but there was no evidence th

Pre-‘persuader rule’ reporting requirements in effect — FEDERAL NEWS The Department of Labor has clarified that if its June 12 proposal to rescind the so-called "persuader rule," finalized in 2016, is effectuated, that action will not affect the disclosure requirements currently in effect. This is because the nationwide permanent injunction against enforcement of the final rule was issued by a Texas district court on November 16, 2016, before application of the final rule bec

Senate releases its version of health care replacement bill — PROPOSED LEGISLATION The Senate has released an amended version of H.R. 1628 (the American Health Care Act of 2017). The “discussion draft” will, according to a statement on the website of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget, help stabilize collapsing insurance markets by creating a stabilization fund that would provide $15 billion per year in 2018 and 2019, and $10 billion per year in 2020 and 2021. It also pr

Religious Accommodation and Employee Safety Question: We have an employee who works outdoors under varying weather conditions, including extreme heat. He is a devout Muslim and is currently observing Ramadan (going without food or fluids all day while working). We are concerned about his health. What can we do to keep him safe while accommodating his religious beliefs? Answer: Religious accommodation issues can be sensitive, and employers must accommodate employees to the ext

Louisiana DOR authorized to require electronic tax return filings, payments — LOUISIANA — Withholding and Reporting Effective June 12, 2017, the Louisiana Department of Revenue (DOR) is authorized to require the filing of electronic tax returns and the payment of taxes by electronic funds transfer, except for individual income tax reports or filings. Also, in cases where the taxpayer can prove the payment by electronic funds transfer would create an undue hardship, the DOR mu

Midsized employers are worrying about compliance, health care costs, reform, and less about employee engagement — SURVEY RESULTS A new ADP Research Institute® (ADPRI) study reveals that midsized business owners are most concerned about rising health care costs, health care reform legislation and the volume of government regulations. However, these same businesses are now less concerned with employee engagement, compared with the prior year's study. ADPRI said the combination

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania reduces wage and net profits tax — PENNSYLVANIA — Withholding and Reporting A Philadelphia ordinance amends the city’s wage and net profits tax by decreasing rates for residents and nonresidents. Specifically, for residents the tax on salaries, wages, commissions and other compensation is decreased from 3.9004% to 3.8907% beginning July 1, 2017. For nonresidents, the tax is reduced from 3.4741% to 3.4654%. Further, for residents the tax on net profi