Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) recently concluded its public hearing and comment period for the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program regulations. The regulations are final as of July 24, 2020 and can be found here: Final Massachussetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Regulations The regulations contain many revisions and … Read More
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
While some may be enjoying the lazy days of summer at the moment, for the absence management industry, mid-summer continues the flurry of regulatory activity that we’ve seen all year in 2020. Below are recent updates from the U.S. Department of Labor, Colorado, and Georgia. DOL Releases New FMLA Forms The U.S. DOL has released … Read More
Chuck Johnston, Chief Marketing Officer, FINEOS, on the future of the Employee Benefits Market, service-based offerings and how core systems need to support new offerings, referencing two recent reports published by Novarica and LIMRA. FINEOS Vlog – Employee Benefits
Sheri Pullen, Best Practices Product Manager, Integrated Disability and Absence Management
On June 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (DOL WHD) issued Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2020-4. Aimed at DOL WHD investigators, the FAB provides guidance explaining how the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) applies to employees taking leave to care for their child whose summer camp, summer enrichment, or other similar summer program is closed due to COVID-19 related reasons. FFCRA History and ...
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
On June 22, Tennessee Governor Lee signed into law Senate Bill 2520, the Tennessee Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The law, effective October 1, 2020, requires that Tennessee employers with 15 or more employees make reasonable accommodations for employees with medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Among other accommodations, this includes: Providing … Read More
Sheri Pullen, Best Practices Product Manager, Integrated Disability and Absence Management
With most U.S. states relaxing restrictions and stay-at-home orders, many employees have returned to work or are gearing up to do so soon. Among the hodgepodge of information available from various agencies is a helpful Technical Assistance Questions and Answers webpage published and maintained by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This publication offers … Read More
I attended an industry conference earlier in the year and sat in a lot of sessions with insurers and software vendors. Listening to the various sessions, got me thinking about how some parts of our industry have really progressed and other seem to be mired in the mud. At FINEOS, we focus on providing modern … Continued
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has released a draft of revised Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) regulations. The regulations provide updates to many topics, including: Use of accrued paid leave and how its use impacts the MA PFML timebank; The definition and application of job protected leave, including leave where … Read More
These days too many of the best minds in software are devoting their energies to winning and retaining your attention. Getting their products noticed in all today’s noise. Our product wants not to be noticed. The things that work best are often those you don’t see. Examples from everyday life include the electricity grid, the … Continued
Megan G. Holstein, Esq., SVP Absence and Claims Product
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have published a Joint Notice, guidance, and FAQ extending certain Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) deadlines due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Joint Notice extends participant filing deadlines for employee benefit plans, including disability plans, group health … Read More
If ever there was a time to reflect on the ability of an organisation to pivot into a digital workforce, the era of COVID-19 is surely it. The threat of an event that fundamentally changes the operation of an organisation or even questions whether it can survive, has been part of business continuity planning for … Continued
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
Virginia Passes Pregnancy Accommodation Law We wrote earlier this week about Virginia’s new law relating to minimum benefits in disability policies for childbirth. With an effective date of July 1, 2020, Virginia has passed a second pregnancy-related law, Senate Bill 712, this time requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee’s limitations related to … Read More
It’s rare you hear a call-out for technology skills in a crisis, especially in such a severe crisis, so it was interesting to hear New Jersey governor Phil Murphy call out for COBOL skills to help with the state’s ailing legacy systems. Unfortunately, I can’t volunteer my assistance as I don’t have COBOL skills. The … Continued
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
On April 9, the Governor of Virginia signed into law Senate Bill 567, mandating that insurers that issue individual or group sickness insurance policies providing short-term disability (“STD”) coverage for childbirth must provide a benefit of at least 12 weeks following birth. The new requirement applies to any policy delivered or issued for delivery in … Read More
Megan Holstein, Esq., SVP Absence and Claims Product
New York has enacted a new paid sick and save leave law, effective September 30, and has amended the regulatory definition of serious health condition for New York Paid Family Leave (NY PFL) law to clarify that an employee can receive NY PFL benefits for caring for a family member with COVID-19, effective immediately. New … Continued
Megan G. Holstein, Esq., SVP Absence and Claims Product
On April 1st the United States Department of Labor issued temporary, final regulations to support the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), as amended by the CARES Act. April 1st was also the FFCRA effective date, so employees can now begin claiming paid leave for COVID-19-related absences. The regulations cover a lot of ground, providing … Read More
As we all wrestle with the changing dynamic of business during this worldwide pandemic, we at FINEOS remain committed first and foremost to supporting the health, well-being, and safety of all. Our offices in Hong Kong, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States continue to work remotely to ensure social distancing recommendations. … Read More
Sheri Pullen, Best Practices Product Manager, Integrated Disability and Absence Management
Things are moving at warp speed when it comes to information around the COVID-19 pandemic and paid leave laws. It’s important to keep up with not only COVID-19-related changes, but also regular amendments to paid family and medical leave (PFML) laws. Amid all the movement, an amendment to Washington’s PFML law has been making its … Read More
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
On March 25, the Governor of New Jersey signed Senate Bill 2304, amending the state’s Paid Sick Leave Act, the (unpaid) Family Leave Act, and the Temporary Disability Benefits and Family Leave Insurance programs to provide expanded benefits as a result of a declared state of emergency and outbreak of a communicable disease. Though the … Read More
Megan G. Holstein, Esq., SVP Absence and Claims Product
On Tuesday, March 24 the United States Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it has issued an employer fact sheet, an employee fact sheet, and Questions and Answer guidance to clarify some questions that have arisen in the past few days as carriers, employers, and employees attempt to understand the details of the Families First … Read More
Sheri Pullen, Best Practices Product Manager, Integrated Disability and Absence Management
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (DOL WHD) has announced that they expect to publish Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) regulations in April 2020, but they did not specify the exact date in April. The DOL WHD’s announcement includes an expected date of March 25 to post a model employer notice of the FFCRA. For details and analysis on … Read More
Lori Welty, Esq., Absence Management Senior Compliance Attorney
New York State has enacted an emergency paid sick leave law and amended its Disability Benefits Law (“NY DBL”) and Paid Family Leave law (“NY PFL”) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes are effective immediately, as of March 18. The law does not contain a sunset provision. The law requires job-protected, employer-provided paid … Read More
Megan G. Holstein, Esq., SVP Absence and Claims Product
Over my career, I’ve considered whether the United States would ever offer paid family and medical or sick leave. In fact, just nine days ago I recently opined on the topic. And certainly, I never thought the federal government would introduce a paid leave bill, pass it, and get the president’s signature in under a … Continued
As the spread of the COVID-19 virus continues to impact many people and business around the globe, I want to explain what FINEOS is doing to protect our employees and our customers while continuing to provide our high levels of service. Our reaction to a crisis of this nature works to reinforce our FINEOS purpose … Continued
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