government shutdown Archives | EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG

Government shutdown continues as start of ACA open enrollment approaches

by Debra Curtis, Rodney Whitlock, Kayla Holgash, Katie Waldo and Maddie News | Oct 28, 2025 | Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans

The US government shutdown has now lasted nearly one month, marking it as the longest full shutdown in US history, surpassing the previous record held by the partial shutdown of 35 days in 2018 – 2019. As the shutdown continues, pressure mounts to reopen the government due to the growing number of uncompensated federal employees and affected programs; however, a resolution remains elusive. A critical deadline is approaching on November 1, 2025, which could further escalate the pressure to end the shutdown, as it is the start of open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace.

Shutdown-proof: How government contractors can stay cool when Washington heats up

by Daniel Graham, Llewelyn Engel and Peter M. (Mac) Routh | Oct 16, 2025 | Uncategorized

The US government’s funding lapsed on October 1, 2025. For government contractors, this means navigating immediate uncertainty in maintaining operations and mitigating financial exposure.

This client alert provides practical strategies to help contractors navigate the shutdown effectively, including key considerations for reassignments, furloughs, and reductions in force if they are required.

The Budget Act Makes Some Surprising Changes to Benefit Plans

by Jacob Mattinson, McDermott Will & Emery and Sarah L. Engle | Mar 6, 2018 | Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Retirement Plans

On February 9, 2018, President Trump signed a bipartisan budget deal into law, effectively extending federal funding through March 23, 2018. The act includes multiple provisions affecting employee benefit plans, including relaxed hardship withdrawal rules and relief for individuals affected by the California wildfires.

Fridays with Benefits Webinar: Bipartisan Budget Act Breakdown

by Anthony A. Bongiorno and Sarah L. Engle | Feb 21, 2018 | Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans

The Bipartisan Budget Act helped avoid another government shutdown, but did it cause problems for your benefit plans? Sarah L. Engle and D. Finn Pressly will discuss everything you need to know about the new legislation, including changes to hardship distributions and new wildfire relief. The panel will also bring you up to speed on other key developments in the employee benefits sphere over the last month.

Register now.

Government Shutdown Pushes Back Cadillac Tax

by Anthony A. Bongiorno | Jan 24, 2018 | Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans

On January 22, 2018, Congress passed an interim funding bill to end the three-day government shutdown that also pushed back the effective date of the Affordable Care Act’s controversial “Cadillac Tax.” The Cadillac Tax imposes an excise tax on group health plans that provide benefits in excess of certain thresholds. The new legislation pushes the effective date back an additional two years to January 1, 2022.