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	<title>Benefits Administration Archives - GSA National</title>
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	<title>Benefits Administration Archives - GSA National</title>
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	<item>
		<title>DOL Announces 2025 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2025-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/</link>
					<comments>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2025-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:28:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Department of Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contact]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[H&W]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Service Contract Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wage and Hour]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=3398</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &#38; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts:&#160; Effective&#160;July 7, 2025, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2025-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2025 Increased Health &amp; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &amp; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$5.55&nbsp;per hour (increase from $5.36)</li>



<li>$5.09 per hour for EO 13706 contracts (increase from $4.93)&nbsp;</li>



<li>$2.42&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees</li>



<li>$1.96&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees on EO 13706 contracts</li>
</ul>



<p>Effective&nbsp;<strong>July 7, 2025</strong>, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the increased Health &amp; Welfare (H&amp;W) rates on Wage Determinations. Contractors are required to provide the H&amp;W rate from the Wage Determination that is applicable on the anniversary date of a multiple-year contract or at the beginning of the contract option period.&nbsp;Additionally, contractors should only provide the new H&amp;W rate after their Contracting Officer has formally notified the contractor of the rate increase.</p>



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<p>GSA National&#8217;s SCA experts are here to assist with any questions you may have regarding the new rates&nbsp;or average cost contracts. Please contact our team of <a href="mailto:solutions@gsanational.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SCA subject matter specialists</a> with any questions.</p>



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<div data-wp-interactive="core/file" class="wp-block-file"><object data-wp-bind--hidden="!state.hasPdfPreview" hidden class="wp-block-file__embed" data="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dol-aam-2025.pdf" type="application/pdf" style="width:100%;height:600px" aria-label="Embed of dol-aam-2025."></object><a id="wp-block-file--media-ab9059dd-7193-48b3-ba0c-18707404935c" href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dol-aam-2025.pdf">dol-aam-2025</a><a href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dol-aam-2025.pdf" class="wp-block-file__button wp-element-button" download aria-describedby="wp-block-file--media-ab9059dd-7193-48b3-ba0c-18707404935c">Download</a></div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2025-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2025 Increased Health &amp; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>DOL Announces 2024 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2024-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/</link>
					<comments>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2024-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:35:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Department of Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contact]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[H&W]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Service Contract Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wage and Hour]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=3287</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &#38; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts:&#160; Effective July 16, 2024, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2024-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2024 Increased Health &amp; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &amp; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$5.36&nbsp;per hour (increase from $4.98)</li>



<li>$4.93 per hour for EO 13706 contracts (increase from $4.57)&nbsp;</li>



<li>$2.36&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees</li>



<li>$1.93&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees on EO 13706 contracts</li>
</ul>



<p>Effective <strong>July 16, 2024</strong>, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the increased Health &amp; Welfare (H&amp;W) rates on Wage Determinations. Contractors are required to provide the H&amp;W rate from the Wage Determination that is applicable on the anniversary date of a multiple-year contract or at the beginning of the contract option period. Additionally, contractors should only provide the new H&amp;W rate after their Contracting Officer has formally notified the contractor of the rate increase.</p>



<p>The DOL also announced that average cost fringe benefit Wage Determinations will not be issued, and may not be used, for any new contracts after the date of this All Agency Memorandum (July 16, 2024).</p>



<p>GSA National&#8217;s SCA experts are here to assist with any questions you may have regarding the new rates&nbsp;or average cost contracts. Please contact our team of <a href="mailto:solutions@gsanational.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SCA subject matter specialists</a> with any questions.</p>



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<p>Join us for a webinar review of the impact and implications of these announcements. <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/event/guess-the-new-health-welfare-rate-a-contest-and-rate-impact-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Registration is open here</a>.</p>



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<div data-wp-interactive="core/file" class="wp-block-file"><object data-wp-bind--hidden="!state.hasPdfPreview" hidden class="wp-block-file__embed" data="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FY-2024_SCA_HW_Fringe-Benefit_AAM-246_July-16-2024.pdf" type="application/pdf" style="width:100%;height:600px" aria-label="Embed of FY-2024_SCA_HW_Fringe-Benefit_AAM-246_July-16-2024."></object><a id="wp-block-file--media-9d263373-3836-4b47-82f1-f9e42ee75a1b" href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FY-2024_SCA_HW_Fringe-Benefit_AAM-246_July-16-2024.pdf">FY-2024_SCA_HW_Fringe-Benefit_AAM-246_July-16-2024</a><a href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FY-2024_SCA_HW_Fringe-Benefit_AAM-246_July-16-2024.pdf" class="wp-block-file__button wp-element-button" download aria-describedby="wp-block-file--media-9d263373-3836-4b47-82f1-f9e42ee75a1b">Download</a></div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2024-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2024 Increased Health &amp; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>DOL Announces 2023 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2023-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/</link>
					<comments>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2023-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jun 2023 19:17:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Department of Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contact]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[H&W]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Service Contract Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wage and Hour]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=3098</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &#38; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts:&#160; Effective&#160;June 27, 2023, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2023-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2023 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &amp; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$4.98&nbsp;per hour (increase from $4.80)</li>



<li>$4.57 per hour for EO 13706 contracts (increase from $4.41)</li>



<li>$2.15&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees</li>



<li>$1.74&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees on EO 13706 contracts</li>
</ul>



<p>Effective&nbsp;<strong>June 27, 2023</strong>, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the increased Health &amp; Welfare (H&amp;W) rates on Wage Determinations. Contractors are required to provide the H&amp;W rate from the Wage Determination that is applicable on the anniversary date of a multiple-year contract or at the beginning of the contract option period.&nbsp;Additionally, contractors should only provide the new H&amp;W rate after their Contracting Officer has formally notified the contractor of the rate increase.</p>



<p>GSA National&#8217;s SCA experts are here to assist with any questions you may have regarding the new rate and its application to your SCA-covered employees. Please contact our team of <a href="mailto:solutions@gsanational.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SCA subject matter specialists</a> with any questions.</p>



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<p>Join us for a webinar review of the impact and implications of the reported rate increases. <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7369149462533459546" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Registration is open here</a>.</p>



<div data-wp-interactive="core/file" class="wp-block-file aligncenter"><object data-wp-bind--hidden="!state.hasPdfPreview" hidden class="wp-block-file__embed" data="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-SCA-HW-update_AAM-243-6-27-2323.pdf" type="application/pdf" style="width:100%;height:600px" aria-label="Embed of 2023 SCA HW update_AAM 243 - 6-27-23."></object><a id="wp-block-file--media-97932cc0-fe39-4d11-bd63-2cc612767b73" href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-SCA-HW-update_AAM-243-6-27-2323.pdf">2023 SCA HW update_AAM 243 &#8211; 6-27-23</a><a href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-SCA-HW-update_AAM-243-6-27-2323.pdf" class="wp-block-file__button wp-element-button" download aria-describedby="wp-block-file--media-97932cc0-fe39-4d11-bd63-2cc612767b73">Download</a></div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2023-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2023 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>GSA National Earns Distinguished Great Place to Work Certification Again in 2023!</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/gsa-national-earns-distinguished-great-place-to-work-certification-again-in-2023/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 Apr 2023 17:10:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=3021</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>GSA National scores over 97% across the board in areas like resources available, employee expectations, and factors contributing to a good working environment. GSA National is proud to be Certified™...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/gsa-national-earns-distinguished-great-place-to-work-certification-again-in-2023/">GSA National Earns Distinguished Great Place to Work Certification Again in 2023!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="547" src="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-1024x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2790" srcset="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-300x160.jpg 300w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-768x410.jpg 768w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



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<p><strong>GSA National scores over 97% across the board in areas like resources available, employee expectations, and factors contributing to a good working environment.</strong> </p>



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<p>GSA National is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work® for 2023. GSA National earned this prestigious designation based on anonymous feedback collected from current employees using Great Place to Work’s “Data-driven For All” methodology and a written submission of key company programs that enrich the employee experience. <a href="https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7045196">GSA National scored 30 points higher than the average U.S. company for employees who rated their workplace as a great place to work</a>.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>GSA National takes great pride in its company culture. “GSA National takes great pride in its company culture,&#8221; said Matt Corzine, President at GSA National. &nbsp;“To see that 82% of our team members rate GSA National as a great place to work is a significant accomplishment, involving the continued support and dedicated efforts of our entire leadership team. I’m incredibly proud of our team for this sustained focus on staff development and support.&#8221;</p>



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<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1-e1680887472382-1024x706.png" alt="" class="wp-image-3022" width="556" height="383" srcset="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1-e1680887472382-1024x706.png 1024w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1-e1680887472382-300x207.png 300w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1-e1680887472382-768x530.png 768w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1-e1680887472382-1536x1059.png 1536w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1-e1680887472382-2048x1412.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">We&#8217;re Great Place to Work-Certified! 100% of our employees approve!</figcaption></figure>
</div>


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<h2 class="has-text-align-center has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-heading" style="font-size:32px"><strong>We&#8217;re proud of our company culture!</strong></h2>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-text-color" style="color:#000000;font-size:17px"><strong>82%</strong>&nbsp;of employees at&nbsp;<strong>GSA National</strong>&nbsp;say it is a great place to work compared to&nbsp;<strong>57%</strong>&nbsp;of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.</p>



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<div class="wp-block-buttons alignfull is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button aligncenter"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-midnight-gradient-background has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://www.gsanational.com/about-gsa/great-place-to-work/">Read more about GSA National&#8217;s Great Place To Work Certification here!</a></div>
</div>



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<p>Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture.&nbsp;Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising®, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions.</p>



<p></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/gsa-national-earns-distinguished-great-place-to-work-certification-again-in-2023/">GSA National Earns Distinguished Great Place to Work Certification Again in 2023!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>SOLUTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/solutions-for-government-contractors/</link>
					<comments>https://www.gsanational.com/solutions-for-government-contractors/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Nov 2022 14:47:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Compliance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[David-Bacon Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DOL Audit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fringe Benefit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA Compliance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Service Contract Act]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=2899</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>No other employee benefits firm supports more benefits, more carriers, or provides more solutions to government contractors. GSA National provides unique solutions to government contractors facing the challenges posed by...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/solutions-for-government-contractors/">SOLUTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><strong>No other employee benefits firm supports more benefits, more carriers, or provides more solutions to government contractors.</strong></p>



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<p>GSA National provides unique solutions to government contractors facing the challenges posed by hourly fringe benefit requirements. We specialize in the setup, management and support of hourly fringe benefit programs for government contractors, both domestically and internationally, helping leading contractors balance cost, compliance and quality to help win and retain both contracts and employees.</p>



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<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/766494933?h=29767e05c0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Solutions for government contractors!"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>



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<p>Put our team of ERISA, CBA, trust service, benefits administration, and compliance experts in your corner today! Call us at&nbsp;<strong>1-800-250-2741</strong>&nbsp;or email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:solutions@gsanational.com">solutions@gsanational.com</a>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/solutions-for-government-contractors/">SOLUTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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		<title>DOL Announces 2022 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2022-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jun 2022 15:53:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Department of Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contact]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[H&W]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Service Contract Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wage and Hour]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=2846</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &#38; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts: &#160; Effective&#160;June 23, 2022, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2022-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2022 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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<p>The Department of Labor has announced the following fringe benefit (Health &amp; Welfare) rate increases for SCA-covered contracts: &nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$4.80&nbsp;per hour</li>



<li>$4.41&nbsp;per hour for EO 13706 contracts</li>



<li>$2.04&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees</li>



<li>$1.65&nbsp;per hour for Hawaii Prepaid Healthcare Act (HPHCA) employees on EO 13706 contracts</li>
</ul>



<p>Effective&nbsp;<strong>June 23, 2022</strong>, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will post the increased Health &amp; Welfare (H&amp;W) rates on Wage Determinations. Contractors are required to provide the H&amp;W rate from the Wage Determination that is applicable on the anniversary date of a multiple-year contract or at the beginning of the contract option period.&nbsp;Additionally, contractors should only provide the new H&amp;W rate after their Contracting Officer has formally notified the contractor of the rate increase.</p>



<p>GSA National&#8217;s SCA experts are here to assist with any questions you may have regarding the new rate and its application to your SCA-covered employees. Please contact our team of <a href="mailto:solutions@gsanational.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SCA subject matter specialists</a> with any questions.</p>



<div data-wp-interactive="core/file" class="wp-block-file aligncenter"><object data-wp-bind--hidden="!state.hasPdfPreview" hidden class="wp-block-file__embed" data="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/memorandum-239-2022.pdf" type="application/pdf" style="width:100%;height:600px" aria-label="Embed of Please refer to &lt;strong&gt;All Agency Memorandum 239 &lt;/strong&gt;for additional information.."></object><a id="wp-block-file--media-97932cc0-fe39-4d11-bd63-2cc612767b73" href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/memorandum-239-2022.pdf">Please refer to <strong>All Agency Memorandum 239 </strong>for additional information.</a><a href="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/memorandum-239-2022.pdf" class="wp-block-file__button wp-element-button" download aria-describedby="wp-block-file--media-97932cc0-fe39-4d11-bd63-2cc612767b73">Download</a></div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/dol-announces-2022-increased-health-welfare-rates-for-sca-covered-contracts/">DOL Announces 2022 Increased Health &#038; Welfare Rates for SCA-Covered Contracts</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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		<title>GSA National Earns Distinguished Great Place to Work Certification</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/gsa-national-earns-distinguished-great-place-to-work-certification/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joe]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Apr 2022 18:07:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=2836</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>GSA National scores over 97% across the board in areas like resources available, employee expectations, and factors contributing to a good working environment. GSA National is proud to be Certified™...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/gsa-national-earns-distinguished-great-place-to-work-certification/">GSA National Earns Distinguished Great Place to Work Certification</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="547" src="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-1024x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2790" srcset="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-300x160.jpg 300w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw-768x410.jpg 768w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/gsa-team-gptw.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



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<p><strong>GSA National scores over 97% across the board in areas like resources available, employee expectations, and factors contributing to a good working environment.</strong> </p>



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<p>GSA National is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work® for 2022. GSA National earned this prestigious designation based on anonymous feedback collected from current employees using Great Place to Work’s “Data-driven For All” methodology and a written submission of key company programs that enrich the employee experience. <a href="https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7045196">GSA National scored 30 points higher than the average U.S. company for employees who rated their workplace as a great place to work</a>.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>GSA National takes great pride in its company culture. “GSA National takes great pride in its company culture,&#8221; said Matt Corzine, President at GSA National. &nbsp;“To see that 87% of our team members rate GSA National as a great place to work is a significant accomplishment, involving the continued support and dedicated efforts of our entire leadership team. I’m incredibly proud of our team for this sustained focus on staff development and support.&#8221;</p>



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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1024x683.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2807" width="530" height="353" srcset="https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1024x683.png 1024w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-300x200.png 300w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-768x512.png 768w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://www.gsanational.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Made_To_Feel_Welcome-2048x1366.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 530px) 100vw, 530px" /></figure>
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<h2 class="has-text-align-center has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-heading" style="font-size:32px"><strong>We&#8217;re proud of our company culture!</strong></h2>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-text-color" style="color:#000000;font-size:17px"><strong>87%</strong>&nbsp;of employees at&nbsp;<strong>GSA National</strong>&nbsp;say it is a great place to work compared to&nbsp;<strong>57%</strong>&nbsp;of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.</p>



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<div class="wp-block-buttons alignfull is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button aligncenter"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-midnight-gradient-background has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://www.gsanational.com/about-gsa/great-place-to-work/">Read more about GSA National&#8217;s Great Place To Work Certification here!</a></div>
</div>



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<p>Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture.&nbsp;Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising®, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions.</p>



<p></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/gsa-national-earns-distinguished-great-place-to-work-certification/">GSA National Earns Distinguished Great Place to Work Certification</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Advantages of Pooling SCA and Non-SCA Benefit Claims ‎Should Not Be Overlooked by Federal Contractors</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/advantages-pooling-sca-non-sca-benefit-claims-%e2%80%8eshould-not-overlooked-federal-contractors/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpengine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Nov 2018 03:40:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ACA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Affordable Care Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[H&W]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hour & Wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SCA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Service Contract Act]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=836</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>There is a common misconception, often repeated by so called &#8220;experts&#8221; in our field, that is preventing many federal contractors from maximizing cost effectiveness in the allocation of H&#38;W dollars...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/advantages-pooling-sca-non-sca-benefit-claims-%e2%80%8eshould-not-overlooked-federal-contractors/">The Advantages of Pooling SCA and Non-SCA Benefit Claims ‎Should Not Be Overlooked by Federal Contractors</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: left; background-color: #e4e4e4; width: 95%; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">There is a common misconception, often repeated by so called &#8220;experts&#8221; in our field, that is preventing many federal contractors from maximizing cost effectiveness in the allocation of H&amp;W dollars on SCA contracts. A recent article written by nationally recognized attorney, author and speaker <a href="http://www.schwabe.com/showattorney.aspx?Show=11934" target="_new" rel="noopener noreferrer">Walter W. Miller</a> explains how contractors can better leverage H&amp;W dollar spending for the good of both employees and employer.</div>
<p><script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
<script type="IN/Share"></script> Insurance carriers subsist largely due to risk pooling. Under an insurance arrangement, an employer or other party pays premiums to an insurer, and the insurer pays claims from the pool of premiums it collects from everyone it insures. The insurer’s financial risk is thus spread evenly among a large number of contributors. In the case of group health insurance, the pooling approach smooths out the financial risks associated with adverse health interventions.<br />
The key fringe benefit provided by federal contractors under the Service Contract Act (SCA) is medical coverage. Many federal contractors choose to avoid the additional ancillary costs of providing medical coverage to an insurance policy by providing the benefits on a self-insured basis. The self-insured arrangement is permitted under the SCA regulations, provided that the contractor’s fringe benefit contributions are paid irrevocably to a trustee or third person pursuant trust or other funded arrangement. 29 CFR §4.175(b).<br />
Federal contractors that choose to self-insure the medical benefits for SCA employees should not overlook the advantages of risk pooling, and would be wise to consider funding the claims of the contractor’s non-SCA employees through the same risk pool maintained under the SCA trust. Any notion that the risk pooling is not permitted is false. The SCA fringe benefit regulations require that a plan describes a definite formula for determining the benefits for each of the covered SCA employees, and, as stated above, be held in a trust fund that precludes a contractor from recapturing any of the contributions paid to the trust or diverting the trust funds for its own use. The SCA regulations do not require that the trust fund be maintained solely for the payment of benefits for SCA employees, and in fact, contemplate the payment of benefits for non-SCA employees (such as those who are temporarily not performing work on an SCA contract).<br />
Funding the benefit claims of both SCA and non-SCA employees is similar to, and offers the same risk pooling advantages as, claims funded through a paid insurance policy. These advantages include the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>A claims pooling arrangement can provide better security for covered employees through the spreading of financial risk and economies of scale;</li>
<li>The claims pooling arrangement also provides greater portability of benefits and eligibility for employees who move from SCA to non-SCA positions;</li>
<li>Reporting under the Affordable Care Act can be simplified through a pooling arrangement;</li>
<li>With a greater number of covered individuals for whom claims are paid, benefit and administrative costs can be better stabilized;</li>
<li>Experienced trustees and administrators specializing in benefit plan operations can be retained on a more cost-effective basis; and</li>
<li>The scope of ERISA fiduciary responsibilities can be narrowed by the delegation to a more limited number of advisers.</li>
</ul>
<p>A pooling of claims does not alleviate the contractor’s general obligations under the SCA. A contractor must maintain records evidencing SCA hours, and if applicable, segregating the period for hours spent on non-covered work. The contractor must also maintain appropriate records separately showing amounts paid for wages and amounts paid for SCA fringe benefits.<br />
An SCA fringe benefit trust managed by professional administrators provides security to covered employees. A contractor that chooses to self-insure its medical fringe benefits for SCA employees should consider extending the trust to include the funding of the benefits to non-SCA employees. This pooling of claims to a common trust will result in benefits to the contractor and covered employees from the economies of scale and the spreading of financial risk.</p>
<div style="background-color: #e2e9fd; width: 95%; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">This article was written by <a href="http://www.schwabe.com/showattorney.aspx?Show=11934" target="_new" rel="noopener noreferrer">Walter W. Miller</a>. Walter helps employers to comply with the myriad of laws governing retirement plans and other employee benefit programs. A primary focus of Mr. Miller&#8217;s current practice is the Affordable Care Act, including the employer &#8220;play-or-pay&#8221; mandates. He works with clients to evaluate the effect of the new law on their group health plans, and offers advice as to the manner of addressing the new rules. He is listed both in The Best Lawyers in America and SuperLawyers as being among the top attorneys in the field of employee benefits. He has also been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, which is regarded as the preeminent professional association for employee benefits attorneys.</div>
<div style="background-color: #e4e4e4; width: 95%; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">Please feel free to share your comments and/or questions below. This blog is moderated by an SCA subject-matter specialist.</div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/advantages-pooling-sca-non-sca-benefit-claims-%e2%80%8eshould-not-overlooked-federal-contractors/">The Advantages of Pooling SCA and Non-SCA Benefit Claims ‎Should Not Be Overlooked by Federal Contractors</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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		<title>New Tax Law Provisions Affect Employee Benefit Programs</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/new-tax-law-provisions-affect-employee-benefit-programs/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpengine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Dec 2017 20:57:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ACA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Affordable Care Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FMLA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contact]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gsanational.com/?p=1120</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) recently enacted by Congress will soon become effective. The primary focus of the new law is the reduction of corporate and individual...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/new-tax-law-provisions-affect-employee-benefit-programs/">New Tax Law Provisions Affect Employee Benefit Programs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><script src="//platform.linkedin.com/in.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
<script type="IN/Share"></script>  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) recently enacted by Congress will soon become effective.  The primary focus of the new law is the reduction of corporate and individual income taxes. Nevertheless, a number of provisions of the Act affect employee benefit programs, which are summarized below. Except as otherwise noted, these employee benefit changes are effective for plan or tax years, as applicable, beginning on or after January 1, 2018.<br />
<strong>Repeal of ACA Individual Responsibility Penalty</strong><br />
Under the individual responsibility “play-or-pay” rules of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), individuals must obtain minimum essential health coverage if they can afford to do so. If an individual can afford health insurance but chooses not to buy it, the individual is subject to a penalty tax. The penalty currently is the greater of 2.5% of household income or $695 per adult ($347.50 per child under 18).<br />
To provide individuals with evidence of this insurance coverage, insurance companies must provide a Form 1095-B to covered individuals. Employers that maintain self-insured medical plans will provide a Form 1095-C to covered employees.<br />
Large employers (those with more than 50 full-time equivalent employees) are subject to a separate employer responsibility mandate obligating them to provide qualified coverage to full-time employees. The failure to provide the coverage exposes them to an excise tax penalty. Large employers must also file with the IRS a Form 1095-C for each full-time employee reporting as to the coverage provided (or not provided as the case may be) to the individual. A copy of the Form 1095-C was then also be provided to each full-time employee.<br />
The provision of the ACA requiring individuals to have qualified insurance coverage, or to pay a penalty for the failure to do so, has effectively been eliminated, beginning in 2019.  It will remain in effect for 2018.  The elimination is made via the reduction of the penalty to $0.  The separate employer responsibility coverage mandate penalty was not similarly eliminated.<br />
The effective repeal of the individual responsibility penalty does not have a direct effect on an employer.  However, for the 2019 plan year and beyond, large employers presumably will not be required to file and provide to employees Form 1095-Cs to its employees, evidencing their coverage under the plan (since the information is not required by the individuals for purposes of completing their tax returns). A large employer will nevertheless still be required to file with the IRS an abbreviated version of the Form 1095-Cs evidencing the offering of coverage to full-time employees, because the employer responsibility mandate is still effective.<br />
<strong>Business Tax Credit for Paid Family or Medical Leave</strong><br />
For 2018 and 2019, eligible employers will be allowed to claim a general business tax credit equal to 12.5% of the amount of wages paid to qualifying employees during any period in which such employees are on family and medical leave.  To qualify for the business tax credit, the rate of paid leave must be at least 50% of the wages normally paid to an employee. The credit is increased by 0.25 percentage points (but not above 25%) for each percentage point by which the rate of paid leave exceeds 50%.<br />
The maximum amount of family and medical leave that may be taken into account with respect to any employee for any taxable year is 12 weeks. To qualify for the credit, an employer must have a written policy that allows all qualifying full-time employees not less than two weeks of annual paid family and medical leave. The policy must also allow qualifying part-time employees a commensurate amount of leave on a pro rata basis.<br />
A “qualifying employee” means any employee who has been employed by the employer for one year or more, and who for the preceding year, had compensation not in excess of 60% of the compensation threshold for highly compensated employees (which for 2018 means not in excess of $72,000).<br />
“Family and medical leave” is defined as leave described under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). If an employer provides paid leave as vacation leave, personal leave, or other medical or sick leave, this paid leave will not be considered to be family and medical leave that is eligible for the business.<br />
<strong>Qualified Stock Grants for Private Employers</strong><br />
Special tax rules apply to property, including employer stock, transferred to an employee in connection with the performance of services. Under these rules, an employee generally must recognize income in the taxable year in which the employee’s right to the stock is transferable or is not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, whichever occurs earlier (referred to herein as “substantially vested”). Thus, if the employee’s right to the stock is substantially vested when the stock is transferred to the employee, the employee recognizes income in the taxable year of such transfer, in an amount equal to the fair market value of the stock as of the date of transfer (less any amount paid for the stock). If at the time the stock is transferred to the employee, the employee’s right to the stock is not substantially vested, the employee does not recognize income attributable to the stock transfer until the taxable year in which the employee’s right becomes substantially vested. In this case, the amount includible in the employee’s income is the fair market value of the stock as of the date that the employee’s right to the stock is substantially vested (less any amount paid for the stock). The deferral elections must be made no later than 30 days after the stock becomes vested.<br />
The Act allows private companies (i.e., those who do not have stock tradable on an established securities market) to establish a plan offering employees the right to elect to defer the recognition of income company stock acquired upon the exercise of stock options or the settlement of restricted stock units for up to five years.  The deferral election must be made no later than 30 days after the stock becomes vested.<br />
A key condition of the new provision is that the company must have a written plan under which at least 80% of all employees providing services to the company in the United States are granted qualified stock. Because of this rule, it is expected that the plans will more typically be adopted by start-up companies.<br />
<strong>Extension of Plan Loan Offset Rollover Deadline</strong><br />
Qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) plans, often allow for loans to be made to participants. In turn, the loan policies for such plans typically provide that a participant’s outstanding loan becomes due and payable upon the participant’s termination of employment or the termination of the plan. If, in such a situation, the participant does not fully repay the outstanding loan within the time allowed by the plan, the loan balance (referred to as a loan offset) is treated as an actual taxable distribution from the plan (referred to as a loan offset). The participant if, under age 59½, will then also be subject to the 10% additional income tax on early distributions (unless an exception applies).<br />
Under the current rules, a participant who has, or who can scrape together, additional funds can make a rollover into an IRA or eligible employer plan that will accept it. For example, if the loan offset amount is $1,000, the participant can within 60 days use his or her own funds and make a rollover contribution of $1,000 into an IRA or other eligible employer plan so as to avoid the taxation of the imputed loan offset distribution.<br />
Under the Act, the period during which a qualified plan loan offset amount may be contributed to an IRA or other eligible retirement plan as a rollover contribution is extended from 60 days after the date of the offset to the due date (including extensions) for filing the participant’s federal income tax return for the taxable year in which the plan loan offset occurs. However, the extended deadline is available only if the plan loan offset amount arises by reason of the termination of the plan or the failure to meet the repayment terms of the loan because of the employee’s separation from service, whether due to layoff, cessation of business, termination of employment, or otherwise.<br />
<strong>Observation</strong>:  The loan offset rollover deadline is not a plan qualification rule. Therefore, plan documents typically will not be required to be revised to reflect this change in law. However, employers will wish to review and revise as appropriate information provided to participants regarding their plan loan programs.  In addition, if a plan includes a plan loan feature, the IRS tax notice provided to participants who are eligible for distribution (now entitled “Your Rollover Options”) should be revised to make mention of the new favorable loan offset rollover deadline.<br />
<strong>IRA Conversions and Recharacterizations</strong><br />
Currently, if an individual makes a contribution to an IRA (traditional or Roth) for a year, the individual is permitted to recharacterize the contribution as a contribution to the other type of IRA (traditional or Roth) by making a direct transfer to the other type of IRA before the due date for the individual’s income tax return for that year. In the case of a recharacterization, the contribution will be treated as having been made to the transferee IRA (and not the original, transferor IRA) as of the date of the original contribution. Both regular contributions and conversion contributions to a Roth IRA can be recharacterized as having been made to a traditional IRA.<br />
Under the Act, the special rule that allows a contribution to one type of IRA to be recharacterized as a contribution to the other type of IRA does not apply to a conversion contribution to a Roth IRA. In other words, recharacterization cannot be used to unwind a Roth conversion. However, recharacterization is still permitted with respect to other contributions. For example, an individual may make a contribution for a year to a Roth IRA and, before the due date for the individual’s income tax return for that year, recharacterize it as a contribution to a traditional IRA.<br />
<strong>Increase in Allowable Volunteers’ Service Award Benefits</strong><br />
Benefits solely representing length of service awards to bona fide volunteers (or their beneficiaries) on account of qualified services performed by the volunteers are not subject to tax rules that typically would require the taxation of such awards when earned vested. Rtypically applicable to deferred compensation arrangements. Instead, benefits under a length of service award plan are includible in income when paid to the recipient under normal tax rules. For this purpose, qualified services consist of firefighting and fire prevention services, emergency medical services, and ambulance services. An individual is treated as a bona fide volunteer for this purpose if the only compensation received by the individual for performing qualified services is in the form of (1) reimbursement or a reasonable allowance for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of such services, or (2) reasonable benefits (including length of service awards) and nominal fees for the services, customarily paid in connection with the performance of such services by volunteers.<br />
Currently, the favorable deferred compensation treatment applies only if the aggregate amount of length of service awards accruing for a bona fide volunteer with respect to any year of service does not exceed $3,000. The Act increases the service award limit with respect to any year of service to $6,000, and adjusts that amount in $500 increments to reflect changes in cost-of-living for future years.<br />
<strong>Loss of Tax Deduction for Qualified Transportation Benefits</strong><br />
Currently, employers that provide qualified transportation fringe benefits to employees can claim a tax deduction for the cost of such benefits. In addition, Code Section 132(f) provides for a limited  exclusion of such employer-paid benefits from employee wages. In addition, an employer may allow employees to pay for all or a portion of the cost of the transportation fringe benefits on a salary reduction pre-tax basis.<br />
Qualified transportation fringes include qualified parking (parking on or near the employer’s business premises or on or near a location from which the employee commutes to work by public transit), transit passes, vanpool benefits, and qualified bicycle commuting reimbursements.<br />
Under the Act, employers can no longer claim a tax deduction for  qualified transportation fringe benefits. The employer-provided benefits will continue to be tax exempt to employees, so Section 132(f) salary reduction arrangements will continue to be allowed.  However, while the benefits will be tax-free to an employee, an employer will no longer be able to deduct the costs of those benefits.<br />
<strong>Unrelated Business Taxable Income for Fringe Benefits</strong><br />
Section 501(a) exempts certain organizations from federal income tax. These tax-exempt organizations include those described in Code Section 501(c) (such as charitable organizations and social welfare organizations). In addition, most tax-exempt organizations are subject to the tax on unrelated business income. The unrelated business income tax (“UBIT”) generally applies to income derived from a trade or business regularly carried on by the organization that is not substantially related to the performance of the organization’s tax-exempt functions. An organization that is subject to UBIT and that has $1,000 or more of gross unrelated business taxable income must report that income on Form 990-T (Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return).<br />
UBIT will henceforth include any expenses paid or incurred by a tax-exempt organization for qualified transportation fringe benefits (as defined earlier), a parking facility, or any on-premises athletic facility.<br />
Presumably, the purpose of this provision of the Act is to treat tax-exempt organizations somewhat equally to taxable employers in regard to the tax treatment of fringe benefits.<br />
Temporary Suspension of Exclusion for Qualified Bicycle Commuting Reimbursements<br />
Qualified bicycle commuting reimbursements of up to $20 per qualifying bicycle commuting month are excludible from an employee’s gross income. A qualifying bicycle commuting month is any month during which the employee regularly uses the bicycle for a substantial portion of travel to a place of employment and during which the employee does not receive transportation in a commuter highway vehicle, a transit pass, or qualified parking from an employer.<br />
The Act suspends the tax exclusion for 2018 through 2025. It will be reinstated in 2026.<br />
<strong>Repeal of Income Exclusion of Moving Expense Reimbursements</strong><br />
Qualified moving expense reimbursements provided to an employee by an employer traditionally have been excluded from an employee’s taxable income. The Act repeals the income exclusion for qualified moving expense reimbursements, other than reimbursements made to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty who moves pursuant to a military order.<br />
<strong>Restrictions on Income Exclusion of Employee Achievement Awards</strong><br />
A qualified employee achievement award provided to an employee is excluded from the employee’s wages for employment tax purposes. An employee achievement award is defined as an item of tangible personal property given to an employee in recognition of either length of service or safety achievement and presented as part of a meaningful presentation.<br />
The Act adds a definition of “tangible personal property” that may qualify as a tax-excludable deductible employee achievement award. It states that tangible personal property does not include cash, cash equivalents, gift cards, gift coupons or gift certificates (other than arrangements conferring only the right to select and receive tangible personal property from a limited array of such items pre-selected or pre-approved by the employer). It also does not include vacations, meals, lodging, tickets to theater or sporting events, stocks, bonds, other securities, and other similar items.</p>
<p><center>*        *        *</center></p>
<div style="background-color: #e2e9fd; width: 95%; padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">This article was written by <a href="http://www.schwabe.com/showattorney.aspx?Show=11934" target="_new" rel="noopener noreferrer">Walter W. Miller</a>. Walter helps employers to comply with the myriad of laws governing retirement plans and other employee benefit programs. A primary focus of Mr. Miller&#8217;s current practice is the Affordable Care Act, including the employer &#8220;play-or-pay&#8221; mandates. He works with clients to evaluate the effect of the new law on their group health plans, and offers advice as to the manner of addressing the new rules. He is listed both in The Best Lawyers in America and SuperLawyers as being among the top attorneys in the field of employee benefits. He has also been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, which is regarded as the preeminent professional association for employee benefits attorneys.</div>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/new-tax-law-provisions-affect-employee-benefit-programs/">New Tax Law Provisions Affect Employee Benefit Programs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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		<title>Tax Treatment of Voluntary Fixed Indemnity Health Benefits</title>
		<link>https://www.gsanational.com/tax-treatment-voluntary-fixed-indemnity-health-benefits/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2017 17:05:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Benefits Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Contractors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IRS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Last week, the IRS&#8217;s Office of Chief Counsel released a Memorandum announcing that benefits paid under a fixed indemnity health benefit program that is either funded by the employer, or...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/tax-treatment-voluntary-fixed-indemnity-health-benefits/">Tax Treatment of Voluntary Fixed Indemnity Health Benefits</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last week, the IRS&#8217;s Office of Chief Counsel released a Memorandum announcing that benefits paid under a fixed indemnity health benefit program that is either funded by the employer, or funded by employees through contributions made on a pre-tax basis, are included in the employee’s gross income as taxable wages.  This would require the employer to withhold and pay applicable employment taxes, including income and FICA.<br />
The rationale of the IRS, as explained in the Memorandum, is that fixed indemnity health benefit programs pay a fixed dollar amount for certain health-related events, such as days in the hospital. The amount paid is not related to the amount of any medical expense incurred or coordinated with any other health coverage. Consequently, the usual tax-free treatment of benefits paid by a group health plan is not available because the amounts paid under the hospital indemnity program are not a reimbursement of medical care under Code Section 213(d).<br />
In contrast, payments made from a fixed indemnity health plan are still tax-free to the extent that the premiums for such coverage are paid by the employee on an after-tax basis.<br />
Thus, if an employer’s benefit program includes a voluntary hospital indemnity plan funded by the employer or employees on a pre-tax basis, they may want to reconsider and instead have contributions for coverage paid by employees on an after tax basis to avoid the imposition of income and employment tax withholdings on any benefit payments.<br />
<strong>We’re Here to Help</strong><br />
If you have questions regarding the memorandum as it pertains to your contract, call us at <strong>1.800.250.2741</strong> or email us at <a href="mailto: solutions@gsanational.com">solutions@gsanational.com</a>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.gsanational.com/tax-treatment-voluntary-fixed-indemnity-health-benefits/">Tax Treatment of Voluntary Fixed Indemnity Health Benefits</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.gsanational.com">GSA National</a>.</p>
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