DOL Tag

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

Legal Update Header On June 21, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a proposed rule to clarify when employers can claim a tip credit to compensate their tipped employees.

The proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the federal register on June 23, 2021. Employers will have 60 days from the date of publication to submit their comments about the proposed rule to the DOL.

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

Legal Update Header On May 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) guidance for recording COVID-19 vaccination adverse reactions.

The guidance now states that OSHA will not enforce the recording requirements to require any employers to record worker side effects from the COVID-19 vaccination through May 2022.

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

HR Compliance Bulletin header image The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has updated its “COVID-19 and the Family and Medical Leave Act Questions and Answers” web page, originally published in 2020.

As before, the Q&As explain that—under the FMLA—covered employers must provide eligible employees with job-protected, unpaid leave for specified family and medical reasons. Additionally, employees on FMLA leave are entitled to the continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms that were in effect before they took leave.

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

Legal Update Header On Dec. 30, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule to amend employee tip regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

On Apr. 29, 2021, the DOL published another final rule delaying the effective date of three provisions of the 2020 employee tip rule (the Rule) to Dec. 31, 2021.

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

HR Compliance Bulletin header image On April 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) premium assistance for health insurance continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) and similar state mini-COBRA programs.

The DOL’s FAQs are reprinted in this Compliance Bulletin.

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

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:

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

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.

On April 28, 2020, the Departments of Labor (DOL) and the Treasury (Departments) issued deadline relief to help employee benefit plans, plan participants and plan service providers impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Thereafter, on Feb. 26, 2021, DOL Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01 clarified the duration of this relief. The deadlines were initially extended by disregarding an Outbreak Period from March 1, 2020, until 60 days after the announced end of the National Emergency (or such other date announced by the Departments). Under federal law, this period could not exceed one year, meaning that the relief was expected to expire on Feb. 28, 2021.

Legal Update Header On Feb. 26, 2021, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury issued FAQ guidance to clarify health coverage requirements related to COVID-19.

Coverage of COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing

Health plans and issuers must cover COVID-19 diagnostic items and services without cost-sharing. The FAQs explain that plans and issuers: