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  President Biden to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccine for Federal Employees and Large Employers Thursday, September 9, 2021   On Thursday, September 9, 2021, President Joe Biden signed executive orders requiring federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Biden also directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to draft a new emergency rule …

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  2022 Open Enrollment Checklist Wednesday, September 1, 2021   For employers operating their group health and welfare plans beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2022, now is the time of the year to prepare for open enrollment.  Typically, the focus is on evaluating the services and performance of vendors, renewing rates, and considering design …

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  IRS Releases Guidance on Employee Retention Credit Tuesday, August 31, 2021   On August 4, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published Notice 2021-49 with respect to the 2021 Employee Retention Credit (ERC). Previously, The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA, P.L. 117-2) extended the ERC through December 2021 and revised certain provisions and ERC …

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  Incorporating the COVID-19 Vaccine into a Wellness Program: Critical Considerations for Employers Monday, August 30, 2021   On August 23, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval to the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine – the first such approval of its kind. Along with expanded access to the vaccine, the FDA’s announcement …

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  COBRA Subsidy Expiration Notice Due by September 15 Friday, August 27, 2021   The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides COBRA premium assistance to eligible individuals and imposes notice requirements on health plans. One such requirement is that plans must notify eligible individuals about when their premium assistance ends, and whether they may be …

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  Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Fully Approved by FDA Tuesday, August 24, 2021   On Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.   It is the first full approval of any coronavirus vaccine in the United States. The other vaccines, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, are …

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  Affordability Safe Harbors for ALEs Friday, August 20, 2021   Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) are vulnerable to one of two potential employer shared responsibility penalty assessments. The “Subsection (a) Penalty” applies where the ALE fails to offer minimum essential coverage to at least 95% of its full-time employees …

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  The No Surprises Act: Key Provisions for Employers Tuesday, July 20, 2021   On July 1, 2021, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the Departments) released Part One of the regulations addressing the highly anticipated No Surprises Act (the Act), which was introduced in December 2020 as part of the …

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  US Supreme Court Decision Keeps Intact the ACA Thursday, June 17, 2021   On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court (the Court) issued its decision in California v. Texas, the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Though the Court did not render an opinion on the substantive issues in the case, …

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