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How to Tackle 2016’s Health Insurance & HR Compliance Changes

Only if you know what’s headed your way can you properly prepare for it. While we don’t have a crystal ball for what your love life will be like, or whether you’ll win the lottery in 2016, we can help you get ready for work in the new year, and the new laws you will be facing.

First, make sure you get all of your end of the year duties done, with our handy checklist. Second, set a resolution for work. Not sure what that should be? This quiz will help.

Third, get a handle on all the new labor laws headed your way. We’ve outlined some of the major new laws hitting the books in January, as well as ways you can tackle them:

State Laws

States like California and New York have signed Fair Pay Laws, which work to improve the pay of women in the workplace.

  • How to tackle: Check with your state labor website for information. California’s Fair Pay Law, for instance, requires that you post signs about the new law in a frequently-accessed location.

Benefits

HSAs (Health Saving Account) let people set aside money on a pre-tax basis to be used later for healthcare costs. For 2016, the individual contribution rate stays the same, but the family rate goes up by $100 to $6,750.

  • How to tackle: If you offer an HSA, let your employees know about the changes and increase their offerings, if necessary.

Minimum Wage

A number of states and cities are increasing their minimum wage in the New Year, like Rhode Island and Seattle.

  • How to tackle: If you have any hourly workers, check their pay rates and ensure they’re at the minimum.

ACA

Small Group Employer New Definitions. The PACE act, which President Obama signed in October, undid the ACA expansion of the definition of small group employers. States are now left to deliberate over their own definition of a small group.

  • How to tackle: If you are a business with less than 50 employees, this doesn’t affect you. Otherwise, check out our guide that details your state’s ruling and what you can do in response to it.

Cadillac Tax Delay. On December 18th, President Obama signed a bill that delayed the start of the Cadillac Tax from 2018 to 2020.

  • How to tackle: Right now there’s nothing employers need to do since the tax has been delayed. Our guide has more information for you on the Cadillac Tax, its delay, and how it might affect you. 
  • Our benefits advisor, Bud, has even more advice to make sure you roll into the New Year ACA compliant.

Deadline Extension. On December 28th, the IRS extended the deadlines for the ACA by at least two months.

  • How to tackle: Use this extra time to get to work on your compliance requirements! Our guide details all the new deadlines, and which ones apply to you.

What are your plans for getting organized and ready for the New Year? Tweet us your resolutions @zenefits and check out our ebook that will help you get organized so you can tackle whatever else comes your way in 2016.

2015-12-09

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