Section Newsletters

Articles on Employee Benefits

Two new laws require employers to extend health benefits By Jim McGrath Corporate Law Departments, January 2009 Recently President Bush signed Michelle’s Law, prohibiting health insurance companies from terminating coverage for dependent college students who are forced to leave school due to a medical condition or serious injury.
Clearing the smoke surrounding non-smoking wellness programs: the limits to premium incentives By Derek A. Schryer Employee Benefits, December 2008 Employers are increasingly implementing wellness programs to help minimize their soaring health care costs.
Health Savings Accounts: One option for small firms when a group health plan is unaffordable By Julie A. Neubauer Women and the Law, December 2008 As this election year comes to a close we have repeatedly heard the ideas and plans of politicians for how to improve the current health care crisis that millions of Americans now face.
Comparison of a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account to a Health Savings Account By Bernard G. Peter Corporate Law Departments, October 2008 A Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) is a tax-favored program that allows employees to pay for eligible out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
Clarification of liability for business owners for breach of fiduciary duty claims for 401(k) plans By Mary A. Corrigan Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, September 2008 Business owners who offer their employees a 401(k) plan have always faced potential liability for actions they take or fail to take in connection with the plan.
A felony does not always mean a forfeiture of pension benefits By John H. Brechin Local Government Law, September 2008 Romano v. Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago involved an appeal from the judgment of the Circuit Court of Cook County confirming a decision of the Board of Trustees of the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund, which found that as a consequence of his conviction of a felony, Romano forfeited all benefits he may have had as a participant in the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago.
The State of Illinois Retirement Systems: Funding history and reform proposals Employee Benefits, September 2008 As we go to press, Governor Blagojevich has called the legislature into special session to deal with the budget mess in Springfield. 
Federal caselaw update Employee Benefits, June 2008 Recent cases of interest to employee benefits practitioners.
ERISA fiduciaries may be sued for losses to individual accounts By David Olson Corporate Law Departments, April 2008 The U.S. Supreme Court has clarified that individual participants in defined contribution plans can sue under ERISA for losses to their individual accounts, caused by an alleged fiduciary breach.
Supreme Court Employee Benefits, March 2008 Recent cases decided by the Illinois Supreme Court and of interest to employee benefits practitioners.
401(k) Retirement fees—Are these fees being fully and properly disclosed to employers? By Jeffrey B. Feld & Theresa Piotrowski Corporate Law Departments, January 2008 The retirement plan market place has been abuzz with discussions regarding fees.
Federal caselaw update Employee Benefits, December 2007 Recent cases of interest to employee benefits practitioners.
Final QDIA regulations provide fiduciary relief By Jorge Leon Employee Benefits, December 2007 The Department of Labor has issued final safe harbor regulations dealing with default investment alternatives in qualified defined contribution plans.
Caselaw update Employee Benefits, October 2007 Harzewski v. Guidant Corp., 489 F.3d 799 (7th Cir. 2007).
Examination of the recent class action lawsuits filed against large companies alleging improper fee structures concerning the management of plan participants’401(k) plans By Wes Covert Employee Benefits, October 2007 Beginning September 11, 2006, a series of lawsuits were filed against a number of large companies and their third-party administrators, charging that the plan fiduciaries breached their duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, (ERISA) by subjecting plan participants to excess fees and expenses, thereby reducing the value of their investments.
Employee benefits update By Bernard G. Peter Corporate Law Departments, August 2007 The IRS has issued the long awaited final regulations under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 409A, which established new rules applicable to nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
IRS still not charitably driven when clients steer IRAs to trusts By Michael Cyrs Trusts and Estates, March 2007 The Internal Revenue Service is still a miser when it comes to trusts and individual retirement accounts. In a recent internal legal memorandum (Internal Legal Memorandum 200644020 “ILM”) the Internal Revenue Service (“Service”) concluded that a transfer of an individual retirement account (“IRA”) to charity to satisfy a legacy from a trust was taxable to the trust as income in respect of the decedent under Internal Revenue Code Section 691(a)(2).
DB: RIP? Employee Benefits, December 2006 The Pension Protection Act of 2006 is supposed to strengthen defined benefit (DB) plans, but new rules for funding and mortality/interest rate assumptions, along with new disclosure requirements, may actually help to undermine DB plans.
Employee benefits research on the Web Employee Benefits, December 2006 Useful links for employee benefits practitioners.
Federal caselaw update Employee Benefits, December 2006 Howard Delivery Service, Inc. v. Zurich American Insurance Co., 126 S. Ct. 2105 (2006).
The Supreme Court enforces employer health plan reimbursement provisions By Travis J. Ketterman Federal Civil Practice, December 2006 In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that a health plan may enforce a reimbursement provision against a participant who receives medical benefits and later recovers from a third party in a tort claim.
2006 year-end reminder of required or suggested employee benefits action By Bernard G. Peter Corporate Law Departments, November 2006 The following is a list of employee benefits plan items on which employers need to or should consider taking action prior to the end of 2006.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Are they the right option for your client? Elder Law, November 2006 In the maze of health care, it’s sometimes difficult to determine what’s right for your client.
Employers should really think about adding Roth 401(k) accounts to plan By Scott E. Galbreath Corporate Law Departments, October 2006 As of January 1, 2006, 401(k) plans can offer participants the option of contributing part of their compensation on an after-tax basis into a Roth 401(k) account.
Defined Contribution Plans— Summary and Limits By Dr. Bart A. Basi Young Lawyers Division, August 2006 There are many types of retirement plans available for taxpayers. In fact, there are so many, the President has considered reducing retirement accounts from the many types that exist today into one simplified retirement savings program.
Some employers finding relief from rising health care costs, according to NBGH/Watson Wyatt Survey Corporate Law Departments, July 2006 Escalating increases in health care costs in recent years have wreaked havoc on companies’ compensation budgets, often holding pay and other perks hostage.
Current state of cash balance plans By Jennifer Hope Strouf Employee Benefits, June 2006 Currently “cash balance plans” are not defined by the Code or ERISA.
FASB issues exposure draft on changes to accounting for pension and other post-retirement benefit plans By Stewart D. Lawrence Employee Benefits, June 2006 The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued the Exposure Draft: Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106, and 132 (R).
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Are they the right option for you? Young Lawyers Division, June 2006 In the maze of health care, it’s sometimes difficult to determine what’s right for you. Health Savings Accounts are a relatively new program, and one you should be aware of.
“Tax Expenditures” For FY 2007 Employee Benefits, June 2006 Health and welfare and pension plans receive favorable treatment under the Internal Revenue Code: employers get an immediate deduction for the contributions, and employees can defer or avoid altogether income taxes on the benefits.

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