Erin Steele
Subscribe to Erin Steele's PostsErin Steele focuses her practice on employee benefits and executive compensation. She has experience working on matters related to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), code section 401(k) plans, health and welfare arrangements, and Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) litigation. She has also assisted in employee benefits matters as part of corporate transactional due diligence work. Read Erin Steele's full bio.
Deja Vu with Retirement Plan Extension 2
By Erin Steele, Joseph K. Urwitz and Lisa Loesel on Jul 9, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Retirement Plans
In response to the administrative difficulties faced by plan administrators due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2020-35, which extends additional retirement plan deadlines for 2020 not previously extended under IRS Notice 2020-23. The IRS also stated that this relief applies for purposes of ERISA if the tax...
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DOL Issues Final Electronic Disclosure Rule for Retirement Plans
By Jacob Mattinson, Alan D. Nesburg, PC and Erin Steele on Jun 16, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Retirement Plans
Under the recently published final rule issued by the US Department of Labor, retirement plan administrators can choose to deliver required disclosures electronically by complying with the conditions of a new safe harbor. The final rule represents an opportunity for retirement plans to save costs and enhance participant access to disclosure documents. Access the full...
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COVID-19 Ate My Homework – Recent Extensions and Relief for Retirement Plans
By Allison Wilkerson, Diane Morgenthaler and Erin Steele on May 18, 2020
Posted In Benefit Controversies, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary and Investment Issues, Retirement Plans
In recognition of the difficulties faced by retirement plan sponsors, participants and beneficiaries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, new guidance extends the deadlines for notices and disclosures required by Title I of ERISA and extends deadlines for retirement plan participants and beneficiaries to submit benefit claims and benefit appeals. The new guidance also provides some...
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CARES Act Social Security Tax Deferral and Employee Retention Credits
By David Fuller and Erin Steele on Apr 9, 2020
Posted In Employment
The CARES Act provides for payroll tax relief, including employee retention tax credits and the deferral of all employer Social Security tax payments to help employers in the face of economic hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers should work with their tax advisors, payroll providers, and payroll departments to immediately implement these valuable savings....
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IRS Extends HSA Contribution Deadline to July 15, 2020
By Erin Steele on Apr 2, 2020
Posted In Health and Welfare Plans
Overview A new IRS notice extends the deadline for individuals to make health savings account (HSA) contributions from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. The IRS issued the notice to provide taxpayers with various tax filing and payment deadline extensions in response to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency. In Depth In response to the COVID-19...
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CARES Act Impacts All Benefit Plans
By Andrew Liazos, Erin Steele, Evan A. Belosa, Jacob Mattinson, Lindsay Ditlow, Lisa Loesel, Ralph E. DeJong, Samuel Everett Dewey and Sarah L. Engle on Mar 31, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Executive Compensation, Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans
In the ongoing effort to help individuals impacted by COVID-19, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act (CARES Act) on March 27, 2020. The President signed the CARES Act into law the same day. The historic stimulus package provides wide-ranging relief for both employers and employees. This includes rules that impact health...
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COVID-19 FAQs: For Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
By Erin Steele, Evan A. Belosa, Jacob Mattinson, McDermott Will & Emery, Sarah L. Engle, Brian Tiemann, Allison Wilkerson, Andrew Liazos and William R. Pomierski on Mar 26, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Executive Compensation, Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans
Coronavirus (COVID-19) raises serious concerns for employers of all shapes and sizes, across all industries and in every business sector. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to grow, many employers are faced with new challenges that affect not only their businesses and their employees, but the health and welfare, retirement and executive compensation plans and...
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Families First Coronavirus Response Act Mandates Employer-Provided Coverage for COVID-19 Testing
By Erin Steele, Jacob Mattinson and Megan Mardy on Mar 23, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
As part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”), Congress eliminated patient cost-sharing for Coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic testing and testing-related services provided under any employer-sponsored group health plan. This impacts all employer plans, insured and self-funded, of all sizes. The provisions are effective as of March 18 and will continue on a temporary...
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Summary of Commuter Benefit Laws (Current as of Feb. 3, 2020)
By Erin Steele, Jacob Mattinson and McDermott Will & Emery on Feb 20, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Health and Welfare Plans
An increasing number of jurisdictions around the country, including parts of California, New Jersey and Washington, DC, are mandating that employers provide commuter benefit programs that allow employees to pay for commuting costs on a pre-tax basis. While the requirements are similar across most jurisdictions, there are specific rules for which employees are covered under...
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What to Know Before Enforcing a Nicotine-Free Workplace
By Aaron P. Sayers, Erin Steele and Jacob Mattinson on Feb 11, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Health and Welfare Plans, Labor
Certain employers might prefer to avoid hiring nicotine users: smokers, dippers and vapers alike. U-Haul International Inc. is doing so, with a policy that went into effect on February 1. Thus, this is an opportune moment to examine why employers might consider doing likewise, the legal ramifications of such policies and the alternatives for encouraging...
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