Karen K. Hartford,
Partner

Experience

Advised Fortune 500 Company on Group Health and Welfare Benefit Plans

We were engaged by a Fortune 500 manufacturing company to provide legal and compliance services regarding its group health and welfare benefit plans. During the course of our representation, we have advised the company with respect to several significant matters including its COVID-19 vaccination incentive programs, creating a health and welfare benefit plans fiduciary committee, amending and restating the comprehensive summary plan description for its health and welfare benefit program, advising the company regarding the effects of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) on dependent care tax credits, providing guidance with respect to several prelitigation demands, and providing welfare benefits integration advice on a billion dollar acquisition.

Firm Highlights

Blog

Spence v. American Airlines: A Texas Court’s View of the Duty of Loyalty under ERISA

Since we last discussed environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) developments in the context of ERISA retirement plans (see our post here ), ESG litigation has taken a rather unexpected turn. Although the plan...

Blog

The GLP-1 Coverage Conundrum: Managing Costs for Group Health Plans

Many employers are facing challenges in incorporating high-cost GLP-1 medications, such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity, and Wegovy, into their group health plans, as they must balance the cost to the group health plan...

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Solo 401(k) Plans: A Quick Fix-It Guide

“Solo 401(k)” is a marketing term used for a 401(k) plan that is adopted by a sole proprietor or an incorporated business with no employees other than the owner. These plans offer a greater...

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DOL Updates Cybersecurity Guidance for ERISA Plans

On September 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a press release announcing that it was publishing updated cybersecurity guidance in the form of Compliance Assistance Release No. 2024-01 for all plans...

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Department of Labor Launches Retirement Savings Lost and Found

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 added new Section 523 to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), requiring the Department of Labor (the “Department”) to establish an online database called the...

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DOL Announces Temporary Enforcement Policy Regarding Transfer of Small Retirement Benefit Payments of Missing Participants to State Unclaimed Property Funds

Retirement plan fiduciaries have a new option for handling small benefit payments owed to missing participants and beneficiaries thanks to a temporary enforcement policy announced by the Department of Labor (“DOL”) earlier this month...

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Monitoring the Activities of a Plan Fiduciary Committee: Recommendations to a Board of Directors

It is axiomatic that a person who has fiduciary responsibility with respect to an ERISA benefit plan must monitor the performance of any plan service provider or other person to whom it has delegated...

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Does ERISA Work?

On Labor Day, September 2, 1974, Gerald Ford signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) into law. ERISA governs the employee benefit plans (i.e., retirement and welfare plans) of most private employers in...

Blog

Retirement Plan Overpayment Corrections Continue to Evolve

For over twenty years, the IRS has provided guidance on correcting overpayments from retirement plans through its correction program, the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System, currently set forth in Revenue Procedure 2021-30 (“EPCRS”). [1...

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The Gag Clause Quandary for Self-Insured Group Health Plans—New FAQ Guidance

The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury, with the Office of Personnel Management (the “Departments”) jointly released FAQs About Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Implementation Part 69 (“FAQs Part 69”) on...