Jacob Mattinson
Subscribe to Jacob Mattinson's PostsJacob M. Mattinson focuses his practice on employee benefits and matters related to 401(k), 403(b), pension, executive compensation, health care reform, and cafeteria and welfare plans. Jacob assists clients in drafting employee benefit plan documents and amendments. He represents clients in matters before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), US Department of Labor (DOL) and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation with respect to plain qualification issues. Read Jacob Mattinson's full bio.
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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HSA Eligibility Not Disrupted by COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Testing and Treatment
By Jacob Mattinson on Mar 12, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Health and Welfare Plans
A new IRS notice will allow individuals to receive testing and care for COVID-19 without jeopardizing their ability to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). The IRS issued the notice due to the public health threat posed by COVID-19, and the stated need to eliminate potential administrative and financial barriers to testing for and...
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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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IRS Announces 2020 Employee Benefit Plan Limits
By Brian Tiemann, Jeffrey Holdvogt and Jacob Mattinson on Nov 6, 2019
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans
Recently the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration announced the cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits on various employer-sponsored retirement and welfare plans and the Social Security wage base for 2020. In the article linked below, we compare the applicable dollar limits for certain employee benefit programs and the Social Security...
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DOL Issues New Proposed Rule for Electronic Disclosures of Retirement Plan Notices
By Alan D. Nesburg, PC, Erin Steele and Jacob Mattinson on Oct 31, 2019
Posted In Employee Benefits, Retirement Plans
The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would expand its existing guidance and liberalize rules for electronic disclosure of retirement plan notices under ERISA. The proposed rule, which sets forth a notice and access safe harbor, would permit electronic disclosure as the default method of delivery while permitting participants to...
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Tyll v. Stanley Black & Decker: When Plan Ambiguity Cost an Employer $4 Million
By Elizabeth M. Rowe, Jacob Mattinson and J. Christian Nemeth on Sep 12, 2019
Posted In Benefit Controversies, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
An employer learned the full cost of ambiguity when a Connecticut federal district court agreed with an employee’s widow that the word “maximum” was ambiguous in the company’s life insurance plan, thus making the widow entitled to an additional $4 million in benefits. This decision serves as a warning for employers sponsoring insured benefits. Access...
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Transgender Health Benefits: Best Practices and Legal Considerations
By Erin Steele, Jacob Mattinson and Todd Solomon on Sep 3, 2019
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Health and Welfare Plans
A growing number of medical organizations, courts and administrative bodies have stated that transition-related medical care is medically necessary and should be covered by employer-sponsored medical plans. Access to employer-sponsored healthcare coverage for transgender workers has become an issue of focus for civil rights advocacy groups such as Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties...
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Genetic Testing Kits and FSAs
By Jacob Mattinson and McDermott Will & Emery on Aug 27, 2019
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The IRS issued a private letter ruling (PLR) this week indicating that an FSA (and presumably an HSA and HRA) may reimburse a portion of the purchase of genetic testing and reports regarding ancestry and health. The IRS noted that the health services portion of such a cost is a reimbursable medical expense under Code...
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