02 Apr

Posted at 16:31h in Employee Benefits White Papers by . .
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Pet insurance has been a trendy benefit offering in recent years, with around a third (34%) of employers providing some version of this benefit, according to a Willis Towers Watson survey.

Since benefits packages are aimed to help employees lower important costs, it makes sense that pet insurance is trending upward—individuals spend thousands on their pets every year, after all. Pet insurance helps lower those expenses in a number of ways. Depending on the plan, it may cover vet exams, vaccinations, chronic conditions, injuries and flea treatments. And when a pet needs emergency care, the safety net of pet insurance can save an individual from needing to choose between their wallet and their furry friend.

26 Mar

Posted at 18:28h in Risk Management White Papers by . .
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Risk Insights header image Since March 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has provided emergency exemptions and waivers for regulations to support COVID-19 emergency relief efforts.

The FMCSA has provided waivers and exemptions for hours-of-service rules, preemployment drug testing, driving skills tests, and renewals for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), commercial learners’ permits (CLPs) and medical certifications. During this time, employers that helped with national emergency efforts and used these waivers or exemptions for their drivers may not have kept up with the documentation necessary for their drivers’ files. It is important for employers to understand that, if they used any of these exemptions or waivers, it should be documented in their drivers’ files, and any paperwork or license updates should be completed as soon as possible.

26 Mar

Posted at 18:16h in Property & Casualty White Papers by . .
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News Brief header Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler recently issued a temporary emergency order that bans insurers from using credit scores to determine premiums, rates or eligibility for personal property insurance.

The emergency order—which applies to auto, renters and homeowners insurance—takes effect immediately and impacts all new policies as well as existing policies processed for renewal on or after June 20, 2021. The order will remain in effect for three years after the day the COVID-19 national emergency is declared over, or the day Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency expires, whichever is later.

26 Mar

Posted at 18:10h in Human Resources White Papers by . .
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Legal Update Header On Dec. 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule to amend employee tip regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The final rule was scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2021; however, on Feb. 26, 2021, the DOL delayed the rule’s effective date to April 30, 2021.

Portions Approved to Take Effect

After reviewing the rule for consistency with law and policy, the DOL announced that it will allow provisions that increase worker protections and earnings to take effect in April, including provisions that:

26 Mar

Posted at 17:50h in Employee Benefits White Papers by . .
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News Brief header President Joe Biden’s administration recently extended access to the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to Aug. 15, from the previously announced end date of May 15.

This direction comes after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened this SEP for the Health Insurance Marketplace on Feb. 15, resulting in over 200,000 enrollments in the first two weeks.

American Rescue Plan ACA Subsidies

19 Mar

Posted at 16:52h in Human Resources White Papers by . .
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Legal Update Header On Feb. 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) delayed the effective date of its 2020 employee tip rule to April 30, 2021.

This rule was originally scheduled to go into effect on March 1, 2021. The DOL is adopting this delay to allow sufficient time for the agency to review the final rule as required by a memorandum President Joe Biden issued on Jan. 20, 2021. The memorandum ordered a freeze on regulatory changes that had been adopted near the end of the previous administration.