Advantage Benefits

Issue: # 39

October 26, 2009

78 pleasant

Dear :

New Employer HIRD Filing Deadline

The employer HIRD filing date has been changed!

See below for more details

Other year end reminders include the annual fitness & weight watchers reimbursements from health carriers. In addition, for those participating in Health Savings accounts or flexible spending accounts, make sure to review exactly where you stand to maximize all benefits.
You may find some of the above noted reimbursement forms on our website under the

Forms Library Section.

As always, If you have any questions email Bill or Vanessa. We hope you find these newsletters helpful, feel free to forward to another business owner. To learn more about Advantage Benefits click here. Please give us your feedback.

Sincerely,

Bill Randell, CLU, CHFC Vanessa Costa, CLU,CHFC
Advantage Benefits Group, Inc.

HIRD Filing

February 15th, 2010 filing deadline

The annual Employer Health Insurance Responsibility Disclosure (HIRD ) & Fair Share Contribution (FSC) filing is no longer November 15th. The applicable quarterly reporting period for determining whether an employer a) has 11 or more full-time equivalent employees, and b) whether they have made a "fair and reasonable contribution" to employees' health insurance shall begins October 1st.

Once the quarter ends (December 31st), the employer will have 45 days (February 15th, 2010) to file their return. We will remind employers as this deadline approaches. If an employer is liable to pay the Fair Share Contribution, the employer will have to continure filing quarterly returns.

Fair Share Contribution representatives can be reached at (617) 626-6080, option 3 Monday through Friday, 8:30a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST.

COBRA Subsidy & Seasonal Employers

Will it be extended?

All programs passed under the latest Economic Stimulus package, know as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), have deadlines. Whether it be the $8,000 first time home-buyer credit, cash for clunkers or the 65% COBRA subsidy.

Currently the Cobra Subsidy is scheduled to end December, 2009 and not to extend into 2010. There are discussions in Washington DC, however, right now to extend it, click here. We believe that it will be extended and will update you as the deadline approaches.

Seasonal Employers

If you are a seasonal employer and layoff employees each winter, take advantage of the COBRA Subsidy program. The actual cost to maintain coverage will only be 35% of the regular monthly premium, single or family! The federal government will cover the remaining 65% for a maximum period of 9 months.

We have met with many seasonal employers, who retain employees on benefits for the winter months and work out a payment plan to maintain coverage. PUT THE EMPLOYEE ON COBRA! We will help complete ALL paperwork . Why not have 65% of the cost picked up by the Federal Government?

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Compliance Corner

Federal laws for firms with 1+ employee

We wanted you to be aware of the following Federal Laws which apply to even the smallest of firms having at least one employee. Please feel free to retain for future reference:

Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) - prohibits private employers from using lie detector tests in the course of pre-employment screening.
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) - regulates communications by consumer reporting agencies about consumers' credit ratings and histories.
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) - employers are required to furnish the names of all newly hired employees to the government no later than 20 days after the date of hire to facilitate enforcement of mandated child support payments.
Equal Pay Act (EPA) - persons performing jobs requiring equal skill, effort and responsibilities at the same location may not be paid different wage rates based upon their sex.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) - requires employers to ensure that their group health plans take steps to protect participants' medical information.
Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection (NMHP) - a group health plan generally cannot restrict benefits for any hospital length of stay in connection with childbirth for the mother or newborn -
Federal Income Tax Withholding - employers payroll process needs to include withholding of federal income tax -
Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) - employers are responsible for withholding and paying insurance contribution taxes for their employee.
Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) - employers are responsible for withholding and paying unemployment taxes for their employee.
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA ) - establishes the right of employees to engage in protected concerted activity, including the formation of unions
Immigration Reform and Control Act (ICRA) - makes it unlawful to knowingly hire an unauthorized worker and imposes recordkeeping requirements on employers.
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) - requires employers to maintain a healthy and safe work environment.
Uniformed Services and Employment and Re-Employment Act (USERRA) - grants employees certain rights to reemployment when they have been absent from their jobs because of "service in the uniformed services" .

If you need assistance in evaluating your firm's adherence to compliance issues, contact Shelley.

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