On September 17, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1159 into law, which is effective immediately for all employers. Among other things, the law creates a “disputable presumption” under workers’ compensation statutes for certain employees with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and establishes reporting requirements on confirmed cases and number of employees. Access the article.

The post New California Law SB 1159 Creates Workers’ Compensation Presumption for Certain Eligible Employees appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2020/10/new-california-law-sb-1159-creates-workers-compensation-presumption-for-certain-eligible-employees/

With mass layoffs commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers asked the Internal Revenue Service for advice on how to deal with the partial termination rule relating to employer contributions to their employees’ 401(k) workplace retirement accounts. It’s an obscure issue, but it’s a big deal for the employees that it affects: It could mean thousands […]

The post After Layoffs, Employers Might Owe Unvested 401(k) Money appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2020/09/after-layoffs-employers-might-owe-unvested-401k-money/

Because widespread, rapid COVID-19 testing remains unavailable in many locations, universities have had to find innovative ways to implement testing, tracing and isolation protocols to reduce the risk of transmission among students, faculty and staff. There is no one perfect protocol—all universities are in unchartered waters. But there are a few key components university administrators […]

The post The Toughest Problem Set: Navigating Regulatory and Operational Challenges on University Campuses appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2020/09/the-toughest-problem-set-navigating-regulatory-and-operational-challenges-on-university-campuses/

What do unused paid-time-off (PTO) days, student loan debt and the coronavirus have in common? An opportunity for employers to provide financial relief to employees who are increasingly putting off vacations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent article by the Society of Human Resource Management, Jeff Holdvogt, a partner in McDermott’s Chicago office, […]

The post Using Paid Time Off Funds to Provide Student Loan Relief to Employees appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2020/09/using-paid-time-off-funds-to-provide-student-loan-relief-to-employees/

Many employers who recently reopened are now facing a new challenge—employee off-duty conduct. At stake are both workplace and customer safety as well as the company’s reputation. A recent webinar featuring McDermott’s Michael Sheehan, Ron Holland, Abigail Kagan and Brian Mead covers various scenarios employers are likely to face and provides practical strategies to navigate […]

The post Off-Duty Conduct: COVID-19 and Social Media Ranting—What’s an Employer to do? appeared first on EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG.

https://www.employeebenefitsblog.com/2020/09/off-duty-conduct-covid-19-and-social-media-ranting-whats-an-employer-to-do/