Employee Benefit Guidance & Compliance Solutions

Monthly Newsletter September 2018

Posted by on September 1, 2018 in Newsletters

Dear Valued Clients and Associates,

With Labor Day behind us, we hope you had a wonderful, fun filled summer.

We are excited and happy to announce the addition of Maggie Johnson, SPHR, SHRM-SCP as our preferred HR Consultant. Maggie brings more than 30 years of HR experience. To learn more about Maggie, you can view her profile here.

In celebration of Maggie joining our team we would like to offer 3 free hours of HR Consulting/ DOL Audit for all NEW clients joining PF Compass(new plan, renewal or off renewal BOR) from 10/1/18-1/31/19. To receive this offer you must reply to this email or call 732-258-1032.

Here is your September 2018 Newsletter with a combination of HR and Health related news. I hope you enjoy!

 


 

2018 ACA Reporting Draft Forms Now Available

The IRS released draft 2018 forms for Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 6055 and 6056. Draft instructions for 2018 have not yet been released.

The 2018 draft forms are substantially similar to the final 2017 versions. However, the revised version of the Form 1095-C clarifies that the “Plan Start Month” box in Part II will remain optional for 2018. The IRS previously indicated that this box may have been mandatory for the 2018 Form 1095-C.

Keep in mind that the 2018 draft instructions for these forms may include additional changes or clarifications, once released. Also, the IRS may make additional changes to these forms before releasing final 2018 versions.

What You Need to Do

Employers should become familiar with these forms for reporting for the 2018 calendar year. However, these forms are draft versions only, and should not be filed with the IRS or relied upon for filing.

  • 2018 draft Forms 1094-C and 1095-C were released July 11, 2018, and will be used by applicable large employers (ALEs) to report under Section 6056, as well as for combined Section 6055 and 6056 reporting by ALEs who sponsor self-insured plans.
  • 2018 draft Forms 1094-B and 1095-B were also released in July 2018, and will be used by entities reporting under Section 6055, including self-insured plan sponsors that are not ALEs

 


 

When is it Time for a Company to have an Employee Handbook?

The majority of small businesses develop an employee handbook when they have about ten employees. However, several employment laws apply long before ten employees are hired. The prudent decision, as espoused by HR experts, is to have an employee handbook as soon as possible, for instance, when the first employee is hired… Visit the PF Compass Blog to read more here

 


 

Tuition-Free Med School Touches Off Multimillion-Dollar Debate

NYU’s promise to help keep medical students debt-free generates joy on campus. But critics question whether it is the best way to recruit a more diverse student pool or get young doctors to commit to primary care… read more here

 


 

A Late-Life Surprise: Taking Care Of Frail, Aging Parents

More and more older adults, age 60 and older, care for their elderly parents and face physical, emotional and financial stress… read more here

 


 

Critical HIPAA Compliance Gaps Exposed by HHS

Over the last couple of years, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conducted “desk audits” of 166 covered entities and 41 business associates. These audits focused on select HIPAA privacy, security and breach notification requirements. HHS has not released its official findings from the audits yet, but it has identified serious compliance gaps in the following areas:

  • Security risk analysis
  • Security risk management
  • Right of access to protected health information (PHI)

Employers that sponsor group health plans should periodically review their compliance with HIPAA rules, including whether their security analysis and risk management for electronic PHI is up to date. Employers should also watch for more guidance from HHS on these compliance requirements.

 


 

When Employees Leave: Who Owns Social Media Accounts?

Maintaining a strong social media presence is no longer optional for many employers. Regular updates to clients and other business partners on Twitter, Facebook and the like are now expected as part of daily work. So what happens when the employees who maintain social media accounts leave the business? Read more here

 


 

LinkedIn Voice Messaging: What You Need to Know

The social recruiting and marketing platform LinkedIn recently announced a new voice messaging feature. It allows users to record and send brief audio clips instead of typing out messages. This feature can help reduce the time it takes to reach out to potential recruits and adds a personal touch from your business. That personal experience could make the difference for talented applicants who are used to getting a canned response.

Maximizing This Feature

Using this feature can combat the perception that your company doesn’t care about applicants on a personal level. With this in mind, consider using voice replies to show applicants you care. If a person thinks you don’t care about their application, why should they want to work for you?

 


 

I am constantly looking for ways to improve this newsletter, comments and suggestions are welcome. Thank you!

 

All the best to your success,

Brandi Bowers | Benefits Consultant
PF Compass Employer Guidance & Benefit Solutions

461 Somerset St. North Plainfield NJ 07060
Tel (732) 258-1032

 

 

Source Credits: HR 360, Inc., Keiser Health News, SHRM.org

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