The Oregon Employment Department (OED) recently published rules regarding its Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) program. The recent rules include clarifications on the benefit application process, benefit eligibility, and notice requirements. The state has also provided new resources for employers that wish to pursue an equivalent plan exemption to the PFMLI program. A…

This alert has been modified to reflect additional detail that was not included when the alert was originally distributed. The State of Colorado is preparing to implement its Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. Colorado joins ten other states and the District of Columbia in providing paid family and medical leave (PFML) benefits to…

The New York Department of Financial Services has released 2023 updates to its paid family leave (PFL) program, including an expansion of benefits and reduction in the employee contribution rate. A previous alert on New York’s PFL program is copied below for reference. The 2023 premium amount has been reduced to 0.455% of employees’ gross…

Washington PFML quarterly wage and hour reporting for the previous quarter is due October 31, 2022. This alert includes background on the 2017 PFML law as well as links to all resources necessary to complete the report. Background In 2017, Washington passed a law establishing a paid family and medical leave (PFML) program that provides…

This alert has been modified to reflect additional detail that was not included when the alert was originally distributed. The State of Colorado is preparing to implement its Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. Colorado joins ten other states and the District of Columbia in providing paid family and medical leave (PFML) benefits to…

On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which contains several provisions that may impact employer-sponsored health plans. HDHP Insulin Safe Harbor The IRA includes a safe harbor for HDHPs to provide first-dollar coverage of certain insulin products. Per previous IRS guidance, preventive care for chronic…

The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2022-34, which establishes the affordability benchmark for employer-sponsored health plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The indexed contribution percentage for 2023 plan years has been set at 9.12% of household income, a significant decrease from the 2022 percentage (9.61%). Background Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers with…

Washington PFML quarterly wage and hour reporting for the previous quarter is due July 31, 2022. This alert includes background on the 2017 PFML law as well as links to all resources necessary to complete the report. Background In 2017, Washington passed a law establishing a paid family and medical leave (PFML) program that provides…

On June 6, 2022, the Bloomington, Minnesota City Council passed the Earned Sick and Safe Leave (ESSL) Ordinance, mandating paid leave policies similar to those previously passed in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth. Requirements under the ordinance will take effect July 1, 2023. Previous alerts on local Minnesota paid leave ordinances are copied below for…

As a result of a surplus in its Universal Paid Leave (UPL) Fund, the District of Columbia will increase the number of weeks of paid leave available to eligible employees, while decreasing the employer contribution rate. These changes are the result of legislation that became effective immediately upon Mayor Muriel Bowser’s signature, although the paid…