The Labor and Employment practice at Epstein Becker Green publishes a regular newsletter called "Take 5: Views You Can Use," which addresses 5 L&E topics around a related subject. The January 2013 edition of Take 5
includes some important workplace health issues associated with implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so we are providing a link to it here on the OSHA Law Update Blog.
In this month's Take 5 newsletter, one of EBG's Houston office Labor and Employment Partners, Greta Ravitsky, summarizes five important actions for employers to consider, as the Department of Labor steps up its audit efforts in connection with the Affordable Care Act implementing regulations, including:
- Assessing the Workforce
- Choosing Whether to “Pay” or to “Play”
- Evaluating Existing Wellness Programs and/or Implement New Wellness Programs to Enhance Employees’ Health Profiles and to Avoid or Minimize the “Cadillac Tax”
- Understanding and Being Ready to Comply with New Tax-Related Changes and Requirements
- Conducting Self-Audits to Ensure Compliance
Here is an excerpt from the newsletter:
With the U.S. presidential election behind us, it is clear that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Affordable Care Act”) is likely here to stay, having survived a U.S. Supreme Court case challenge last June. While affected employers can avoid facing penalties until 2014 for not making health care coverage available to their workforce, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has begun auditing employers’ group health plans for compliance with other requirements of the law that are already in effect. As the DOL steps up its audit efforts under the leadership of the reenergized Obama administration, below are five actions that employers should consider taking in 2013.