President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 into law. The Act provides temporary special rules for health and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs) that give employees additional time to use these funds. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees may be more likely to have unused amounts in health or dependent care FSAs. Read more…
An appropriations bill passed by Congress on Dec. 21, 2020, and expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump, does not extend the leave mandates created by the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLA) and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA), which expire on Dec. 31, 2020. However, the bill does extend the time limit for employer tax credits for employee leave required by those laws. Read more…
On Dec. 21, 2020, Congress passed H.R. 133, a $900 billion stimulus bill that includes emergency economic relief, government funding and tax cuts. The bill also includes the No Surprises Act, a ban on surprise medical bills, which will take effect beginning in 2022. The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump. Read more…
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued additional answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about how employers should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal fair employment laws while also observing all applicable emergency workplace safety guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. The new FAQs address whether employers may require employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. They were added to guidance that the EEOC first issued on March 18, 2020, and then updated several times. Read more…
With the recent addition of insurance industry veteran Karen Hallinin, the Chelko Consulting Group adds expertise and confirms its commitment to serving the employee benefit needs of employers in Central and Southern Ohio. As a senior advisor to the firm’s clients, Karen will help build on the great foundation established by Dirk Raderstorf and others in the bottom half of the state over the last 20 years. (more…)