Monday Briefing

This Monday update is coming to you from northern Minnesota, walking distance from the Canadian border, compliments of the WiFi at Bearskin Lodge. (Bearskin) Here’s a sampling of what we think is worth looking at during these waning days of summer.

  • Revised ACA reporting instructions. What to read this week? The Girl on the Train (goodreads) or the new 1094/1095-C instructions. (IRS)   Fiction (with characters) is looking pretty good. I did, however, peek at the new instructions before leaving on Friday. Spoiler alert. Employers with employees in multiemployer plans will be very happy. See instructions for Line 14.
    • Those of you going it on your own for ACA filing should be looking at the updated IRS Pub 5164 Test Package for Electronic Filers of ADA Information Returns (IRS)
  • Pay ratio disclosure rules finalized. This could get interesting. Final SEC pay ratio rules are out. They will generally apply to proxies issued in 2018 and beyond. They retain the original requirement that the comparison group of employees include part time, temporary and seasonal employees. Median employee pay gets determined every 3 years, absent significant company changes. (SEC Press Release)(Final Rules) (Dorsey Update) . Thanks to my colleague Jamie Klang for some discussion time on this one.
  • Paid parental leave is gaining momentum with Netflix announcing unlimited leave after the first year of a child’s arrival (BI)  and Microsoft announcing substantial increases to its paid parental leave. (The Official Microsoft Blog)   See also  (NYT)
  • Vox Declares Obamacare winner at Republican debate.  According to their count, Obamacare was mentioned only 6 times during the 2 hour debate, with Scott Walker as the only candidate calling for repeal. (Vox)  ACA has to be entering the main stream when you can find a Forbes article discussing what would have looked pretty strange a few years ago–Anthem, an alliance of Blue Cross shops and that good neighbor–State Farm–joining together to sell ACA policies. (Forbes)
  • Must Read.  There are some incredible stories in this Wall Street Journal article about the Stability Network (Stability Network) an advocacy group for discussing mental health at work. (WSJ)

Our growing catalogue of ScreenCasts for ACA reporting:

  • ACA Reporting — What happens when we guess. (SC 04)
  • ACA Reporting Q&A – EINs (…for those using common payors or common paymasters) (SC 03)
  • ACA Reporting Questions (SC 02)
  • ACA Reporting: Defining the Employer (SC 01)

Bob Seng

With plenty of experience in private practice and as an Assistant General Counsel for Pay & Benefits in a Fortune 50 Company, Bob understands that employee benefits law isn’t for everyone. That’s why he takes pride in listening carefully and responding with clear answers and advice that can be followed by busy clients.

Jamison Klang

Jamie is an associate in Dorsey’s Benefits and Compensation practice group. He advises clients on ERISA, tax, and related issues affecting qualified and non-qualified benefit plans as well as executive compensation arrangements. He assists clients in strategically drafting stock incentive plans and all related SEC disclosures. He devotes a substantial portion of his practice to advising both public and private companies on compensation and benefits issues that arise in transactions.

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