 |
Providing People Solutions |
|
Providing People Solutions |
Welcome to HR Partners' COVID page. To receive our company newsletter, the HR Advisor, please click here.
Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”), employers will be required to provide COBRA premium assistance to Assistance Eligible Individuals (and their qualified beneficiaries) who are eligible for COBRA as a result of an involuntary termination of employment or reduction in hours. The premium assistance applies to periods of health coverage on or after April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. An employer or plan to whom COBRA premiums are payable is entitled to a tax credit for the amount of the premium assistance.
The Department of Labor recently released Model Notices and Frequently Asked Questions related to the ARPA Cobra premium assistance, which can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/cobra/premium-subsidy.
If you have additional questions related to the ARPA COBRA premium assistance, or need other HR assistance, please contact HR Partners at 785-233-7860.
Many of our clients with HR Partners have emphasized the stress of work schedules and locations changing because of the pandemic. Now, they want to get back to pre-March 2020 business operations schedules (if they have not already). Please see the template policy below, and please feel free to incorporate this language into your employee handbook.
To find COVID-19 vaccines near you, click on the link below to view a list of providers to check availability and sign-up process.
VaccineFinder - Search for COVID-19 vaccine locations or https://vaccinefinder.org/search/
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) which became law on March 11, 2021, extends and expands, among other items, an employer’s opportunities to receive payroll tax credits for employee paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”).
Recently, HR Partners has received several questions related to employers incentivizing employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
On January 7, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued proposed regulations governing wellness programs under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (“GINA”). The new guidance states that employers generally may not offer more than “de minimis” incentives to take part in an employer’s wellness program that asks participants to provide medical information.
Kristina Dietrick explains why employers can fire people over not wearing a mask and other pandemic workplace changes. (Click the image below to watch the video.)
On December 20, 2020, Congress reached an agreement on a second stimulus package that will provide immediate aid to both individuals and businesses. This President’s signature occurred yesterday. It is now law. The law impacts both the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) and loans established under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
On December 20, 2020, Congress reached an agreement on a second stimulus package that will provide immediate aid to both individuals and businesses. This bill now must be signed by the President in order to become law. The bill will impact both the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) and loans established under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (“KDHE”) has adopted a modified version of the CDC’s shortened quarantine guidance. However, each county Local Health Officer has the ultimate decision on whether to adopt the shortened quarantine guidance. Please check with your local county authority to determine the appropriate quarantine guidance for your locality.
The new KDHE requirements are as follows:
As COVID-19 vaccines are distributed across the nation, the EEOC has released initial employer guidance regarding compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (“Title VII”) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (“GINA”).
On December 20, 2020, Congress reached an agreement on a second stimulus package that will provide immediate aid to both individuals and businesses. This bill now must be signed by the President in order to become law. The bill will impact both the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) and loans established under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
FFCRA. Under the bill, the FFCRA is still set to expire on December 31, 2020. However, employers may voluntarily elect to continue to provide FFCRA leave (both paid sick and paid family leave) and receive tax credits until March 31, 2021. The leave under the FFCRA does not renew. This means that any employee who has exhausted their paid leave under the FFCRA will no longer be eligible for FFCRA leave.
PPP. The second stimulus package also impacts the PPP by allocating 284 billion dollars for a second round of PPP loans, as well as clarifying PPP forgivable expenses and tax deductions for PPP expenses for both the original and second round of PPP loans. Most notably, the second stimulus package will provide the following:
Martha Barlett Piland
President and CEO
MB Piland Advertising + Marketing
"We have worked with Kristina and her firm on multiple occasions. Since we're too small to have an HR advisor on staff, we have relied on her expertise in reviewing our employee manual and other HR-related documents.
She has also been available for advice when needed. She's thorough, straightforward and focused on positive outcomes. I am always confident in her counsel."
