Benefits & HR

Employee Benefits

Legal Alert: Information for Employers and Group Health Plan Sponsors on COVID-19

Guide: COVID-19 and Employee Termination and Benefits Considerations

Retirement Plans

Compliance Bulletin: CARES Act Makes Changes for Retirement Plans

US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

For information about EEO laws and COVID-19.

https://www.eeoc.gov/coronavirus/

On April 23, the EEOC posted a FAQ about COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and other EEO Laws. https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/wysk/wysk_ada_rehabilitaion_act_coronavirus.cfm

The Council | The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

The Council is a commercial insurance and employee benefits trade association who promotes growth and drives the industry forward. Their COVID-19 resource page has Health + Benefit Resources covering Coverage and Plan Design, Healthcare Delivery System, Healthcare Technology & Data, Surprise Billing, and Unemployment.

https://www.ciab.com/covid19/health-benefits-resources/

Avoiding Potential Discrimination

Employers should be wary of inadvertent discrimination when it comes to a coronavirus prevention policy. The policy must be equally enforced. Discriminating against employees-or asking illegal health-related questions-can introduce a host of legal concerns.

It is also important to be educated on the facts about the virus and avoid stigma. Stigma is associated with a lack of knowledge about how COVID-19 spreads, a need to blam someone, fears about the disease and death, and gossip that spreads rumors and myths. Stigma hurts everyone by creating more fear and anger towards ordinary people instead of the disease that is causing the problem.

For more information about reducing stigma visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/reducing-stigma.html

The US Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) has provided guidance and best practices in regards to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) while responding to COVID-19.

EEOC: Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act