From marriage equality to proposed changes to overtime exemptions (not to mention the Supreme Court ruling that again affirmed the ACA), HR professionals across the country are taking a collective breath after a week of landmark rulings and proposed new regulations that impact the employment landscape. Here is what employers need to know (and do) now.
ACA
What happened? In King v. Burwell, the Supreme Court ruled that subsidies are available to all qualified individuals that buy insurance through a public exchange regardless of whether or not the exchange is run by the state or the federal government.
What should employers do now? Nothing/proceed as planned prior to the ruling.
- Obamacare Ruling Means Little Change for Employers (6/25/15, Source: HRHero)
- The Supreme Court Preserves Key Insurance Subsidy Provisions of the Affordable Care Act (6/25/15, Source: Fisher & Phillips)
Marriage Equality
What happened? The Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges made it illegal to prohibit gay marriage in states where it was already prohibited (including Ohio); thereby also making gay marriage legal nationwide.
What should employers do now? Review and possibly modify language in employee handbooks, policies and benefits that reference and/or impact spouses.
- Supreme Court Legalizes Same Sex Marriage (6/26/15, Source: NYTimes.com)
- How does the Supreme Court decision on same sex marriages affect FMLA (6/26/15, Source: HR.BLR.com)
- Domestic partner benefits likely to decline in wake of Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage (6/30/15, Source: AON Hewitt)
- Other—Right to marry extended to same-sex couples in all states (6/30/15, Source: Obergefel Hodges)
New Proposed Overtime Rules
What happened? The Department of Labor (DOL) published new proposed rules for defining and delimiting the overtime exemptions which would greatly expand the number of overtime—eligible workers across the country.
What should employers do now? Nothing (yet). In the meantime, review the proposed changes and how they may impact your workforce. Also, prepare feedback that can be submitted during the 60-day public comment period (ending September 4, 2015)
- DOL Proposes Momentous New Wage-Hour Regs (6/20/15, Source: Fisher & Phillips)
- DOL Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (7/6/15, Source: U.S. Department of Labor)
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