Regulatory Updates

Nov. 28, 2016 – A Texas federal court judge has issued a nationwide injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new overtime rule set to take effect on December 1, 2016. The new rule would have more than doubled the minimum salary from $455/week ($23,660/year) to $913/week ($47,476/year) in order to satisfy the federal…

Nov. 22, 2016 – Last Friday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2016-70, which extends: the due date for furnishing to individuals under Sections 6055 and 6056 from Jan. 31, 2017 to March 2, 2017 good-faith transition relief from penalties related to 2016 information reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056 Due Date for Filing…

Nov. 21, 2016 – The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has issued an updated version of Form I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9 Form). Under federal law, every employer that recruits, refers for a fee, or hires an individual for employment in the United States must complete…

Oct. 19, 2016 – In September, Minnesota’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted the federal administration’s change to the silica standard. The change cuts the previous Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica in half for General Industry and lowers the limit for the Construction Industry by five times. The new rule also…

Oct. 5, 2016 – The IRS has released final 2016 forms for reporting under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 6055 and 6056. Forms 1094-B and 1095-B are used by entities reporting under Section 6055, including self-insured plan sponsors that are not applicable large employers (ALEs). Final 2016 versions of these forms and final instructions were…

Sept. 16, 2016 – Both cities will require employers to extend paid sick leave, effective July 2017. On Wednesday September 7, 2016, St. Paul became the second Minnesota city to enact an ordinance requiring that employers offer workers paid sick leave. Minneapolis passed a similar ordinance in May of this year. Both cities join a…

St. Paul, Minn. (Sept. 8, 2016) – A Dallas jury recently awarded a verdict of more than a million dollars to a vocational nurse based upon her claims of sexual harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. While it appears that verdict will not ultimately be enforced – following a post-verdict settlement reached between the…

On August 1, 2016, the IRS released draft instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C for the 2016 reporting year. While these instructions may not be the final versions, it is important for filers to monitor the updates and changes from 2015 instructions as they prepare for the 2016 filings, which will be due in early…

Effective August 1st, 2016, employers must post updated versions of the Federal Minimum Wage poster and the Federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster.  For those of you in Minnesota, a new Minnesota Minimum Wage poster is also required August 1st.  Links to download these posters are below. The DOL made these changes this past week,…

The IRS has announced electronic Affordable Care Act (ACA) information returns may continue to be filed after the filing deadline, June 30, 2016. These returns are required under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 and 6056, created by the ACA. Reporting entities filing 250 or more individual statements under these reporting requirements must file electronically through…