Section Newsletters

Articles From Chad DeGroot

New Employer Group Health Plan Compliance Obligations for 2022 By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, February 2022 With each new year new, legal obligations for employers sponsoring group health plans seem to arrive. This article provides a brief overview and reminder of some of the key new requirements for 2022.
Illinois Expands Mandatory Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program to Smaller Employers By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, December 2021 Governor Pritzker recently signed into law an expansion to Illinois’ Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program that soon will require compliance with the Program by employers with five or more employees.
New Employer Health Insurance Disclosure Requirement Under the Illinois Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, December 2021 On August 27, 2021, Governor Pritzker signed the Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act, which became effective immediately.
Seventh Circuit Finds Substantial Compliance Doctrine Does Not Apply to Missed Appeal Deadline By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, August 2019 The seventh circuit recently held in Fessenden v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co. that a plan administrator’s failure to meet a regulatory deadline cost the administrator the benefit of deferential review in court.
Federal agencies issue final regulations expanding availability of HRAs By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, July 2019 The Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services recently issued final regulations that are expected to encourage employers to provide  health care reimbursement assistance to their employees, however, several rules and limitations need to be considered.
IRS shows how difficult it can be to exclude business meals from income By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, April 2019 Employers providing meals to employees on the employer’s premises should review their policies on employee meals to ensure that they are not exposing themselves and their employees to potential liability for failure to include these amounts in income.
Plan’s failure to notify participant of deadline to file suit left limitations period unenforceable By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, December 2018 Failure to notify claimants of the limitations period and the date by which a lawsuit must be filed may render any such limitations period unenforceable and subject a plan to the applicable state statute of limitations on contract cases.
Reminder: Secure Choice Savings Program is being rolled out in Illinois By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, December 2018 Illinois is implementing the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program, under which private sector workers in Illinois who do not have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan will be automatically enrolled in an IRA.
HHS issues guidance on disposing of electronic devices and media By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, October 2018 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently issued guidance on the proper decommission and disposal of electronic devices and media containing sensitive information.
Just in time for the holidays, the IRS issues employer mandate tax assessment guidance By Chad DeGroot Employee Benefits, December 2017 The IRS recently updated its FAQ guidance on employer shared responsibility payments under the Affordable Care Act.

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