Over the past two weeks, wildfires have caused substantial loss and damage to homes and communities in Los Angeles, California, and the surrounding areas. In the wake of such devastation, employers may seek opportunities to provide financial assistance to impacted employees. Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has outlined various ways for employers to provide much-needed assistance to employees impacted by natural disasters like the wildfires, including tax-free qualified disaster relief payments, leave donation programs, and other tax-efficient options.
Gender-Affirming Benefits: Best Practices for Group Health Plans
Gender-affirming care has become a central topic in US political discussions, significantly affecting employer-sponsored group health plans. Depending on whether they purchase insurance or self-fund their health benefits, group health plan sponsors face different challenges in covering gender-affirming care. In this PlanSponsor article, Alden Bianchi, Sarah Raaii, and Scott Kenkel explore these challenges and share best practices for group health plans to navigate this complex issue.
New Year, New Rules: Global Equity and Employment Law Considerations for Calendar Year 2025
Many countries finalized new regulations and released new guidance in 2024 that will impact global equity plans. This client alert highlights key updates from Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and other jurisdictions, and recommends steps companies should take to address them.
Looking Ahead to 2025: Global Labor & Employment Legal Update
Following a dynamic year, coupled with a continually evolving legal landscape, employers face increasing regulatory compliance, organized labor advances, technological changes, challenges in protecting company information and retaining talent, and new litigation trends.
In a recent webinar, McDermott’s industry-leading employment team unpacked the most pertinent legal updates and provided tips and action items to get ahead in 2025. They discussed new laws taking effect in the new year, explored key developments impacting management and the workforce, and provided guidance on what employers can anticipate this year.
No Surprises Act Implementation Under the Trump Administration
The No Surprises Act, a law that ended the practice of “balance billing” by certain out-of-network providers, was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 on December 27, 2020. While the law was passed during President Trump’s first term in office, the Biden administration has been fully responsible for its implementation to date.
In this insight, McDermott+’s Jeffrey Davis and Kristen O’Brien highlight four major areas of No Surprises Act implementation that the Trump administration could decide to focus on in the months following the inauguration.
