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Employee Benefits News
  
  

April 12, 2021

In this issue:

  

  

  
   Vaccine Line   

Incentivizing Employees to Obtain COVID-19 Vaccines

Amanda J. Dernovshek, Julie L. Hamlet 
and Mindi M. Johnson

There are a number of reasons why employers may want their employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccines.  Such reasons may include, for example, the employer’s commitment to public health initiatives, concerns with employee health and wellbeing or satisfaction of vaccine requirements imposed by suppliers, vendors or affiliates.

If your organization is considering whether to incentivize employees to get vaccinated and/or requiring that employees prove that they have been vaccinated, there are several items to consider. Those items are summarized below...

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Missing and Nonresponsive Participants
Part 1: A Current Focus for the DOL

Amanda J. Dernovshek, Julie L. Hamlet and Mindi M. Johnson

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) includes a whole host of obligations that apply to plan fiduciaries. An individual may qualify as a plan fiduciary to the extent that the person (1) exercises any discretionary authority over the management of the plan or (2) exercises discretionary authority over the management or disposition of the plan assets.

An individual may also qualify as a fiduciary if he or she renders investment advice regarding plan assets for a fee. Plan fiduciaries include trustees, plan administrators, and individuals that provide certain services to an ERISA plan...

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   COBRA Health Insurance Form   

Employers Now Required to Fully Subsidize COBRA Coverage

Amanda J. Dernovshek, Julie L. Hamlet
and Mindi M. Johnson

The American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”), enacted on March 11, 2021, requires employers to fully subsidize COBRA coverage for certain individuals during the period beginning on April 1, 2021 and ending on September 30, 2021 (the “Subsidy Period”).

This article provides an overview of the COBRA subsidy provisions under the ARPA...

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Federal Agencies Clarify Extension of Welfare Benefit Plan Deadlines

Amanda J. Dernovshek, Julie L. Hamlet and Mindi M. Johnson

Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) and IRS issued guidance providing that group health plans and certain other benefit plans must disregard the period beginning March 1, 2020 and ending 60 days after the announced end of the COVID-19 national emergency (the "Outbreak Period") for purposes of applying various deadlines under COBRA, ERISA, and HIPAA’s special enrollment provisions.

These deadline extensions are discussed in our prior blog article...

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Lansing

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Southfield

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Grand Rapids

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Detroit

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Holland

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St Joseph

  

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC E-Newsletters are intended for general information for our clients and friends. This newsletter highlights specific areas of law and is not legal advice. The reader should consult an attorney to determine how this information applies to any specific situation.

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