We have been getting questions about the extent to which employers may encourage their employees to obtain COVID-19 vaccines when they become eligible. There are a couple of thorny legal issues that may arise when employers offer incentives in connection with a voluntary employer-sponsored COVID-19 vaccination program. We are aware that several large employers are
Carmody @ Work
Updates for Employers on Important Workplace Issues
Latest from Carmody @ Work - Page 5
Substantial Relief Provided to Employees with Unused Health Flexible Spending Accounts or Dependent Care Accounts Benefits under Recent Stimulus Bill
Contained within the recent Stimulus Bill is the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020. Section 214 of that Act provides flexibility for Health Flexible Spending Accounts (Health FSA) and Dependent Care Accounts (DCA).
Background
HFSAs and DCAs have certain limitations and restrictions known as the ‘use or lose’ rule, which generally provide…
President Biden Makes Major Changes At The National Labor Relations Board On His First Day In Office
On the first day of his Presidency, President Joseph R. Biden made two major changes at the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or the “Board”.)
First, President Biden terminated the current NLRB General Counsel Peter Robb. By way of background, the NLRB General Counsel is the agency’s chief attorney and, among other things, determines the…
Voluntary FFCRA and Other Worker Benefits Under the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act
On December 28, 2020, President Trump signed into law a $2.3 trillion dollar Omnibus Spending Bill. The massive Omnibus Spending Bill contains several Acts, including the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act (“CAUWA”), mainly focusing on the expansion of federal unemployment relief and worker entitlements.
One of the highlights of CAUWA is the extension of…
COVID-19 Relief
On Sunday night, President Trump signed into law the $2.3 trillion Omnibus Spending Bill, which includes $900 billion in funding for COVID-19 relief. The massive bill encompasses various Acts including (1) the Continued Assistance to Unemployed Workers Act, (2) the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, (3) the Taxpayer Certainty and…
Carmody Torrance Sandak and Hennessey LLP Hosts Andrea Barton Reeves, CEO of the CT Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Authority, to Address Major Changes Coming in 2021 and 2022
By All Authors
On Friday, November 20th, Carmody Torrance Sandak and Hennessey LLP was pleased to host a live discussion on Connecticut’s upcoming paid family and medical leave program with Andrea Barton Reeves, CEO of the Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Authority. As the Insurance Authority’s first CEO, Ms. Barton Reeves is responsible for establishing…
Connecticut’s Sexual Harassment Training Deadline Extended to February 9, 2021
By All Authors
The CHRO has announced a second extension of the deadline to provide sexual training for all employees, including supervisors and non-supervisors. In September, the CHRO initially announced that the original October 1, 2020 deadline would be extended to January 1, 2021 pursuant to Governor Ned Lamont’s extension of the declaration of public emergency and Executive…
Employee Benefits Cost-of-Living Adjustments for 2021
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that the amount employees may contribute to their 401(k) and 403(b) plans next year remains at $19,500. The IRS announced this week its inflation adjustments for 2021, including:
- Overall contribution limit for defined contribution plans increases from $57,000 to $58,000 (but see catch-up contributions below).
- Catch-up contributions for
…
Updates on Connecticut Travel Advisory and FFCRA Regulations
By All Authors
Under Governor Lamont’s Latest Executive Order, Travelers from “Hot Spot” States Exempt from Self-Quarantine if they Meet Certain Testing Requirements
Under prior Executive Orders, travelers arriving in Connecticut from “hot spot” states are required to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of last contact with the hot spot state.
Under newly-issued…
Connecticut’s Sexual Harassment Training Deadline Extended to January 1, 2021
By All Authors
Under the Time’s Up Act, nearly all Connecticut employers are required to provide sexual harassment prevention training for all employees, including supervisors and non-supervisors. The original deadline for complying with the training requirement was October 1, 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in accordance with Executive Order 7DDD, the Connecticut Commission on Human…