Compliance Archives - Word on Benefits

Mental Health Parity Pitfall to Avoid: Network Adequacy Data

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

27 Mar 202527 Mar 2025

The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires group health plans that provide mental health or substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits to offer parity between coverage of physical health conditions and mental health conditions. The […]

Canada Compliance Employee Benefits Human Resources (HR) Legislative Paid Leave Paid Time Off (PTO)

Ontario’s Working for Workers Acts

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

18 Mar 202518 Mar 2025

Ontario is set to undergo changes in the workplace due to three bills that received Royal Assent in 2024—Working for Workers Four Act, 2024; Working for Workers Five Act, 2024; and Working for Workers Six Act, 2024 (collectively, the Acts). The Acts […]

Compliance DOL Employee Benefits ERISA Health Care Insurance Legislative Regulatory U.S.

Health Plan Gag Clause Attestation Update

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

13 Feb 202513 Feb 2025

Health plans have a variety of reporting and disclosure requirements and other compliance issues to contend with. In recent years, requirements for plan sponsors have been included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) and No Surprises Act (NSA) signed into law […]

Compliance Employee Benefits Legislative Pensions Public Plans Retirement U.S.

What Public Pension Plans Need to Know About the Social Security Fairness Act

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

30 Jan 202530 Jan 2025

Signed into law on January 5, 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) (HR 82) repeals two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for some individuals who receive other benefits, such as certain state or local government pension benefits. The Social Security […]

Compliance Employee Benefits Legislative Regulatory U.S.

IRS Guidance: What Does It Mean?

Anne Newhouse, CEBS

23 Jan 202523 Jan 2025

A new year means renewed attention to the compliance requirements required of plan sponsors. In addition to legislation and regulations affecting employers, subregulatory guidance helps clarify the law and provides direction and insight into complex rules. What is subregulatory guidance? Regulations or […]

401(k) Plans Compliance Defined Contribution (DC) Plans DOL Employee Benefits Legislative Regulatory Retirement SECURE 2.0 U.S.

SECURE 2.0 Act: What’s Coming in 2025?

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

19 Nov 202419 Nov 2024

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) encompasses several changes affecting retirement plans that go into effect over the next few years. SECURE 2.0 aims to make it easier for employers to offer retirement plans and help employees plan for the […]

Compliance DOL Employee Benefits ERISA Health Care Legislative Mental Health U.S.

MHPAEA Final Rules Amending NQTL Standard

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

01 Oct 202401 Oct 2024

On September 9, 2024, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL), and the Treasury released new final rules implementing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). The final rules set forth content requirements and timeframes for […]

Compliance Defined Contribution (DC) Plans Employee Benefits ERISA Investments Multiemployer Public Plans Retirement U.S. Webcast

Fiduciary Basics for Governmental Plans

Amanda Wilke, CEBS

20 Aug 202420 Aug 2024

Plan sponsors have a responsibility to protect the interests of employee and retiree participants in their benefit plans. Government plan sponsors for 457 and 401(a) defined contribution (DC) retirement plans should be aware of fiduciary basics and the latest trends to protect […]

Compliance Employee Benefits ERISA ERISA50 Legislative U.S.

ERISA Preemption 101

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

31 Jul 202401 Aug 2024

Hailed by its authors as the law’s “crowning glory” or “crowning jewel,” the preemption clause in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was designed to help simplify employee benefits administration for multistate employers. But what does ERISA preemption mean? […]

Canada Compliance Employee Benefits Health Care Legislative Regulatory

Cross-Country Benefits Update

Eli Argueta

24 Jul 202424 Jul 2024

The 2024 Canadian Legal and Legislative Update kicked off with a comprehensive cross-country benefits update delivered by Kiersten Amos, counsel at McInnes Cooper, and Michael Wolpert, partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin. These updates covered a range of legislation affecting benefit plans across […]