Blog - 2019
Legal & Regulatory Updates, Human Resources & Payroll
Update: San Antonio Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Postponed to December 1
7/19/2019
The San Antonio Paid Sick Leave ordinance that was scheduled to go into effect in San Antonio on August 1 has been postponed until December 1. Read more...
Employee Benefits & Insurance
New Texas Laws: Targeting Surprise Medical Billing and Deceptive Practices
6/20/2019
The Texas Legislative session brought three new laws related to payments for medical care. One bill, Senate Bill 1264, is intended to curb a practice called “surprise” or “balance” billing. The other two bills—House Bills 2041 and 1941—target deceptive advertising used and high prices charged by some freestanding ERs. This article contains a descriptive of these bills, which are newly signed into law and will go into effect September 1, 2019. Read more...
Legal & Regulatory Updates, Human Resources & Payroll
Next Steps: Local Paid Sick Leave Mandates
5/31/2019
In our last installment, we discussed the status of action by the Texas Legislature to block local paid sick leave ordinances that have passed in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. This legislation did not pass in the Texas House and therefore was not signed into law. That means that local paid sick leave ordinances in San Antonio and Dallas will come into effect starting August 1, 2019, unless some other action is taken. The latter part of this article will describe the ordinance in detail, but let’s start with who is affected and who is not. Read more...
Employee Benefits & Insurance
Geo-Based AHP "Pause": DOL Files Appeal of AHP Ruling
5/20/2019
The Department of Labor has filed an appeal of a March 28 ruling by US District Judge John D. Bates. In a lawsuit brought by 11 states and the District of Columbia, Judge Bates had ruled that two elements of the DOL’s rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs) were invalid. Rather than file a stay, the DOL decided to appeal the decision and has requested an expedited hearing. Read more...
Legal & Regulatory Updates
SSN No-Match Letters: What Should You Do if You Receive One?
4/10/2019
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has again started sending no-match letters, which indicate that a W-2 submitted by an employer does not match up with the name and social security number (SSN) that the SSA has on file. The discrepancy could simply be the result of a typo, but it may also be the result of a more serious issue, such as identity theft. Employers who receive these letters must try to resolve the error without taking any adverse action against the employee based solely on the letter. Read more...
Human Resources & Payroll
Overtime Rules? A New DOL Proposal has been Released
3/21/2019
Earlier in March, the Department of Labor (DOL) released a new proposal on overtime for employees who are classified as “exempt.” Much debate has occurred on this issue dating back to a proposal by the Obama administration in 2016, which was blocked by a US District Court in Texas just 9 days before the rule came into effect. While this new rule may face similar legal challenges, it’s important for employers to develop a plan of action so they are ready if the new rule takes effect in January of 2020, as scheduled. Please read on to learn more about the new rule. Read more...
Employee Benefits & Insurance
We Can Help! New SA Chamber Association Health Plan
2/6/2019
The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce has announced they are now offering an Association Health Plan (AHP) with United HealthCare (UHC). Although there has been some confusion, the plans are open to all members of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) through any licensed agent or broker. Read more...
Human Resources & Payroll
E-Verify Website is Down: Government Shutdown & I-9 Requirements
1/17/2019
The Federal Government has been “shut down” since December 22, 2018. As a result, the Federal Government’s electronic employment verification system—E-Verify—is unavailable. What does this mean for employers who use E-Verify? Read more...
Legal & Regulatory Updates, Human Resources & Payroll
Update: San Antonio & Dallas Paid Sick Leave Mandates are Effective August 1
7/15/2019
While a court injunction still blocks the paid sick leave (PSL) ordinance in Austin, the San Antonio and Dallas ordinances are on track to become effective on August 1, 2019 for employers with more than 5 employees working within city limits. The ordinance doesn’t require that an employer is based in San Antonio or Dallas, simply that an employee spends time working on behalf of the employer within those cities. Do you have any employees who work 80 hours per year within Dallas or San Antonio? Read more...
Retirement Plans
Legislative Update: New Federal Action on Retirement Plans
6/13/2019
In order to encourage retirement savings, members of the US Senate and House of Representatives have drafted legislation aimed at reforming some aspects of current retirement plan regulations. This article contains a description of bills that are currently being evaluated. Read more...
Legal & Regulatory Updates, Human Resources & Payroll
Paid Sick Leave Stands? Bills to Ban Local Ordinances Have Stalled in Texas Legislature
5/22/2019
Local paid sick leave ordinances have now passed in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. Austin’s ordinance is on hold after an Appeals Court found it was unconstitutional and preempted by Texas’s minimum wage law. That court remanded the case back to district court for further proceedings, and Austin may appeal that decision. Many in the business community had hopes that Texas would pass legislation banning local paid sick leave ordinances. Now, it seems like the proposed bills are stalled out in the Texas House and do not appear on the calendar to be voted on before the end of the Legislative Session. Read more...
Employee Benefits & Insurance
Biometric Screening as part of Humana's Go365 Program
5/1/2019
Humana has announced several free biometric screening events, occurring from May to August, for their Go365 Wellness and Rewards Program members. As an employer who may be eligible for premium discounts through Humana’s Go365 program, you may want to encourage your employees to take advantage of this quick and easy way to earn points and proactively manage their health. Read more...
Human Resources & Payroll
Taxes on Employee Parking
3/26/2019
Some employers offer reserved parking as an added perk to their employees, either as a temporary award or more permanent assignment. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act amended Section 274(a)(4) of the tax law so that it “generally disallows a deduction for expenses with respect to QTFs [Qualified Transportation Fringes] by taxpayers to their employees,” meaning that providing a reserved parking spot to an employee may not be a tax deductible expense as of 2018. Read more...
Legal & Regulatory Updates
Tax Reform Effects: Smaller Tax Refunds Reported
2/15/2019
Tax season has begun, and preliminary reports show that the average refund is down about 8% from the same time last year, from $2,035 to $1,864, causing speculation that consumer spending may be hurt due to refund reductions. At the time of the report, approximately 16 million returns had been filed and 13 million were processed. During the 2017 tax season, nearly 152 million returns were processed, and some argue that the small sample size so far this year may skew the data and not be a true indicator of the overall population. The Internal Revenue Service provides filing season statistics every year, which will be needed to see whether these preliminary reports prove to be true. In the meantime, what might cause this change in dynamics? Read more...
Human Resources & Payroll
E-Verify is Up & Running: Employer Action Required by 2/11/2019
1/30/2019
During the shutdown, the Federal Government’s electronic employment verification system (E-Verify) was unavailable. Now it is operational again, and employers who participate are required to take action by February 11, 2019. Read more...