January 2021

Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133)(the “Act”) (here), which was signed into law on December 27, 2020, new relief is available for employees who participate in health care flexible spending accounts and dependent care flexible spending accounts (“FSAs”).   While the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued limited relief for FSA participants in 2020 (here), that guidance only expanded opportunities to make mid-year elections.  It did not address the desire of so many employees to extend access to their unspent FSA balances beyond the 2020 plan year.

The changes under the Act are intended specifically to address this concern.  Importantly, the changes are optional.  Employers who implement these changes will likely experience higher costs due to reduced forfeitures and changes in plan administration.  Additionally, changes to health FSAa could adversely affect the participant’s eligibility to contribute (or receive contributions) to a health savings account.  Below is a summary of the changes affecting FSAs:Continue Reading Flexibility for Flex Accounts – Congress Provides New Relief to Employees

With political division in the United States on full display in the midst of a pandemic, Americans are faced with deepening rifts that touch not only their social circles and family units, but also their work lives. It therefore behooves employers to recognize the reality that disagreements about politics are likely to arise in one form or another in the workplace. With that in mind, employers should review their employment policies and related practices to ensure they are ready to address workplace disputes centered on politics, especially in light of the telecommuting arrangements that many employers are still utilizing during the pandemic.
Continue Reading It’s Time for Employers to Revisit Their Employment Policies to Be Ready to Address Political Disputes Among Coworkers