The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in Ziccarelli v.Dart that an employer can violate the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) by discouraging an employee from exercising FMLA rights without denying an FMLA leave request. The 7th Circuit’s jurisdiction covers Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Statutory Language of the FMLA The FMLA provides that an employer may not “interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of or the attempt to exercise, any right provided u

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new guidance regarding HIPAA’s privacy protections for reproductive health care. The guidance focuses on health care providers’ obligation under the HIPAA Privacy Rule to safeguard the privacy of protected health information (PHI) related to reproductive health care, including abortions. According to HHS, the HIPAA Privacy Ru

The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released new resources on workers’ rights to leave for mental health conditions under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In a press release, the DOL said it published the new guidance in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. New DOL Fact Sheet and FAQs The new guidance includes: Fact Sheet #28O: Mental Health Conditions and the FMLA Frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the FMLA’s mental

The IRS has announced the 2023 inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts (HSAs) as determined under the Internal Revenue Code. Annual Contribution Limits For calendar year 2023, the annual limit on HSA contributions for an individual with self-only coverage under a high deductible health plan (HDHP) is $3,850 (up from $3,650 for 2022). The annual limit on HSA contributions for an individual with family coverage under an HDHP is $7,750 (up from $7,300 for 2022). H

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a $1.9 trillion relief bill containing financial benefits for individuals, businesses, state and local governments and more. Measures of particular interest to employers and employees include the following: Subsidy for COBRA premiums. The subsidy covers 100% of an eligible individual’s COBRA premium from April 1 through Sept. 30, 2021. The subsidy is funded through refundable payroll t