Updated Guidance on Expiration of Deadline Extensions
On Friday of last week, we notified you that certain benefit administration deadline extensions were set to expire on 2/28/21 barring any late breaking regulatory update. Later …Continue Reading
Featuring authors from across our organization on various topics related to risk management and employee benefits, our blog is a great resource to help you stay informed.
Our Scott thought leaders provide content on a regular basis to elevate your thinking surrounding critical components of your company’s culture and overall performance.
What Employers Need to Know About the COVID-19 Relief Bill
On Monday, December 21, 2020, Congress passed an emergency stimulus package designed to deliver approximately $900 billion in COVID-19-related aid. The bill, which was part of a $1.4 trillion spending package that will keep the government open for the fiscal year, has been sent to President Trump and he is expected to sign it into law.
Notably, the bill provides funding for unemployment benefits, small businesses, direct economic payments to individuals, vaccine distribution and rental assistance. There are also a few highly-anticipated employee benefits items that made it into the legislation at the last minute: Continue reading
EEOC Guidelines on COVID-19 Vaccines
On December 16, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its first direct guidance for employers regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws against job discrimination and harassment.
As we stated in a previous blog post, employers can make the vaccine mandatory, subject to federally protected exceptions for disability and sincerely-held religious beliefs. The EEOC guidelines provided further explanations for employers regarding these exceptions, including documentation to support the request and how to manage a worker when an accommodation is not possible. Continue reading
COVID-19 Vaccine: Distributing and Mandating
With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccination, many organizations are wondering when their employees will be able to receive it and if it can be mandated as a requirement to work.
When Will the Vaccine Be Available?
Each state will determine its distribution strategy. Most state strategies are utilizing the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook for Jurisdiction Operations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This strategy includes priority population identification, vaccine distribution and supply-chain limitations.
Because of limited availability, the distribution strategies include broad categories of priority populations using a phased approach: Continue reading
Addressing Employee Health Risk in Senior Living Provider Populations
In 2012, Scott Benefit Services formed a group health captive, the Heritage Group Health Plan, with several independently-owned Senior Living community employers representing approximately 2,500 total employees. …Continue Reading