Workforce Bulletin

Featured on Employment Law This Week: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule for handling retaliation under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The ACA prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for receiving Marketplace financial assistance when purchasing health insurance through an Exchange. The ACA also protects employees from retaliation for raising concerns regarding conduct that they believe violates the consumer protections and health insurance reforms in the ACA. OSHA’s new final rule establishes procedures ...

By Kara Maciel and Adam Solander

On February 10, 2014, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued highly anticipated final regulations implementing the employer shared responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act, also known as the “employer mandate.” The employer mandate requires that large employers offer health coverage to full-time employees or pay a penalty.

The rules make several changes in response to comments on the original proposed regulations issued in December 2012, as well as provide significant transition relief.  Most notably ...

By:  Elizabeth Bradley, Kara M. Maciel & Adam Solander

In breaking news, the Obama Administration has now acknowledged the significant regulatory burdens that the January 1, 2014 deadline under the Affordable Care Act would place on employers.  Based on reports, the ACA Employer Mandate has been delayed to 2015!  We understand that regulatory guidance will be forthcoming this week.  

This is welcome news to the hospitality industry and employers across the country who have been struggling with compliance efforts under the ACA. 

Stay tuned to this blog and www.ebglaw.com

By Elizabeth Bradley, Kara M. Maciel & Adam Solander

By Paul Friedman and Meg Thering

Most prudent employers have begun efforts to ensure compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), which is bringing about myriad changes with which employers must comply.  Many employers are evaluating their employee populations, deciding whether it makes economic sense to continue offering coverage, and performing self-audits to ensure compliance.  Employers should also be aware that the Department of Labor has already started auditing employers for compliance.  What many employers may not be aware of, however, is that employees may bring whistleblower claims for violations of the ACA – and these claims will be policed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”).

The ACA prohibits retaliation against employees (as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act) for receiving cost sharing reductions or tax credits on a Health Insurance Exchange (or Marketplace), and it prohibits retaliation against employees who report alleged violations of Title I of the ACA.  Employees who believe they have been retaliated against in violation of these rules can file a complaint with OSHA within 180 days of the alleged violation.  Here is a link to OSHA's Fact Sheet providing more information about these provisions.

OSHA's Fact Sheet explains: "To further these goals, the Affordable Care Act’s section 1558 provides protection to employees against retaliation by an employer for reporting alleged violations of Title I of the Act or for receiving a health insurance tax credit or cost sharing reductions as a result of participating in a Health Insurance Exchange, or Marketplace."

The period just closed (on April 28, 2013) for comments on the interim final rule published by OSHA of “Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under Section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act.”