On Monday, December 21, 2020, Congress handed an emergency stimulus package deal designed to ship roughly $900 billion in COVID-19-related assist. The invoice, which was a part of a $1.4 trillion spending package deal that can hold the federal government open for the fiscal yr, has been despatched to President Trump and he’s anticipated to signal it into regulation.
Notably, the invoice offers funding for unemployment advantages, small companies, direct financial funds to people, vaccine distribution and rental help. There are additionally a number of highly-anticipated worker advantages gadgets that made it into the laws on the final minute:
Extension of the FFCRA Tax Credit
- Whereas the invoice does prolong the tax credit employers can obtain for providing Emergency Paid Sick Go away and Expanded Household Medical Go away till 3/31/21, it seems the invoice removes the mandate to offer such depart. Which means employers could have the power to offer the depart in the event that they select to, and obtain related tax credit, however wouldn’t be required to offer both sort of depart.
Growth of FSA Rollover Quantities and Grace Durations
- The invoice offers employers the pliability to amend their plans by permitting carryover of unused funds from plan years ending in 2020 to plan years ending in 2021. It additionally permits for carryover of unused funds from plan years ending in 2021 to plan years ending in 2022. The grace interval for plan years ending in 2020 or 2021 could also be prolonged to 12 months after the top of the plan yr.
Ban on Shock Medical Payments
- This surprise-billing ban will maintain sufferers innocent from sure shock medical payments, together with payments from air ambulance suppliers, by guaranteeing that sufferers are solely liable for their in-network cost-sharing quantities in each emergency conditions and sure non-emergency conditions the place sufferers wouldn’t have the power to decide on an in-network supplier. For different claims, this new surprise-billing settlement makes use of arbitration. There are numerous elements of this part of the invoice that can in the end be left as much as regulators; the Scott group will advocate on behalf of employers throughout this course of and hold you up to date accordingly.
For added particulars on non-benefits associated elements of the invoice, click here for an overview.
