Compliance Stuff

  Under current law, most 401(k) plans permit catch-up contributions that are equally available to all participants who are age fifty or over. Starting in 2025, the  SECURE 2.0 Act  allows eligible participants who are ages sixty to sixty-three to make “super-catch-up contributions” of up to the greater of: $10,000, or 150 percent of the regular catch-up limit. Quick Hits Starting in 2025, the SECURE 2.0 Act allows participants ages sixty to sixty-three to make “super-catch-up contributions” of up to $10,000 or 150 percent of the regular catch-up limit. Employers may need to amend their retirement plans by the end of 2024 to accommodate the new super-catch-up contributions or clarify their implementation. The introduction of super-catch-up contributions will require significant updates to payroll and recordkeeping systems to track different age categories and contribution limits. The annual catch-up contribution limits will vary depending on the participant’s age, as show...

  On November 29, 2024, a proposal was issued in the  Federal Register  to change thresholds  regarding  laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ( OFCCP )  and other agencies .  This proposal would affect Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503) and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA)  among other laws .   FAR Council Action   The proposal to change thresholds was made by the  Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council . The FAR Council includes representatives of the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and NASA. The FAR Council controls the federal acquisition regulations (FARs), which govern much of the procurement of products and services done by the federal government.   The Federal Register notice issued by the FAR Council affects many federal agencies and programs. The FAR Council is requir...

  As 2025 approaches, the FAR Council has released its   proposed  adjusted  acquisition thresholds . The proposed adjustment increases the thresholds to account for inflation and the Consumer Price Index. The most heavily used thresholds affected by the proposed increase are the   micro-purchase threshold (MPT)   and the   simplified  acquisition  threshold (SAT) . While the proposed adjustment affects several acquisition thresholds, it is important to note it does not apply to the Construction Wage Rate Requirements statute (Davis-Bacon Act), Service Contract Labor Standard statute, performance and payment bonds, or trade agreement thresholds. What is the Micro-Purchase Threshold? The proposed rule increases the MPT from $10,000 to $15,000. For purchases at or below the MPT, authorized agency officials can use a   Governmentwide commercial purchase card , which is similar to a commercial credit card, to make purchases without solicitin...

  Many New Hampshire employers will soon be required to allow employees to keep loaded guns in their cars parked at work, and   all  employers in the state will soon need to comply with new employee privacy protections regarding firearms stored in their personal vehicles. Governor Chris Sununu signed a “guns at work” bill into law earlier this year that further expands the broad gun rights in the permitless carry state, once again sharpening the contrast with the strict gun safety measures enforced in other New England states. Covered employers must act now to ensure that their workplace safety policies and practices comply before the new law takes effect on January 1. We’ll explain everything you need to know and give you a five-step action plan. The New Requirements and Who Must Comply The New Hampshire bill enacted in July ( HB 1336 ) added a new section ( RSA 159:27 ) to the “Pistols and Revolvers” chapter of the state’s Public Safety and Welfare law. Starting Janua...

Key Takeaways: Kathy Hochul has signed a bill expanding the statutory carveout applied to police officers, firefighters, and EMTs who filed a claim for mental injury due to extraordinary work-related stress S.6635/A.5745 now allows all workers to apply for Workers’ Compensation for extraordinary work-related stress The law takes effect January 1 Under S.6635/A.5745: Where a [worker] files a claim for mental injury premised upon extraordinary work-related stress incurred at [work], the board may not disallow the claim upon a factual finding that the stress was not greater than that which usually occurs in the normal work environment. A major part of this law is that now all employees in New York can apply for workers’ compensation if they feel they are undergoing a mental health crisis caused by their job. In the past, this option was only available for select first responder positions. Unlike other accidental injuries, there are two requirements in a claimant’s case that are unique to...

On October 29, 2024, the Connecticut Appellate Court issued an important decision in a case brought by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO),  Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities v. Yale University . The court affirmed that phrases such as “recent college graduate(s)” or “recent graduate(s)” in job postings are not inherently discriminatory because of age under Connecticut law. In addition to providing clarity for employers, the decision underscores the value of carefully drafting job advertisements to minimize potential litigation risks down the road. Quick Hits The Connecticut Appellate Court ruled that phrases like “recent college graduates” in job postings are not inherently age-discriminatory under Connecticut law, providing clarity for employers while underscoring the value of careful drafting to avoid litigation risks. The court rejected the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities’ argument that the phrase “recent coll...