Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or colloquially as “Obamacare,” was signed into law in March of 2010 with the goal of increasing the quality and affordability of health insurance for millions of Americans.
While the Act’s employer shared responsibility payments will not apply until 2015, and in some cases, not until 2016, there are provisions and safe harbors to consider and decisions that can be made now that may help businesses, employees and a business’s bottom line. Further, there are many unintended consequences arising out of the ACA that business owners, both large and small, need to consider when administering health care arrangements.
We are carefully following the developments associated with the roll-out of ACA and are providing counsel to business owners and other professionals, helping them to address compliance issues, evaluate exposure to penalties and other tax issues as well as planning strategically for the future.
Affordable Care Act Articles
Missouri Court of Appeals Reaffirms Stiff Burden for Showing Misconduct Precluding Unemployment Benefits
Section 288.030.1(23) of the Missouri Revised Statutes defines “misconduct” for purposes of unemployment benefits as: an act of wanton or willful disregard of the employer’s interest, a deliberate violation of the employer’s rules, a disregard of standards of behavior...
Can I Comp the Overtime? Federal and State Laws Affecting Compensation
So you worked over 50 hours last week to pay off some debt and you can't wait for that overtime check? You are probably under the impression that your employer has a legal obligation to compensate you extra for your overtime hours. Not so fast. People often make the...
Businesses Should Not Overlook the Importance of Evidence Preservation in Today’s World of E-Discovery
Larger corporations have faced this reality for many years: litigation involving records can be extremely costly, very disruptive and just a pain in the “you-know-what.” Now smaller companies are also experiencing what their larger counterparts have known for some...
MAI 31.24 Applies Exclusive of Federal Authority for MHRA Employment Discrimination Claims
The Missouri Court of Appeals recently affirmed a trial court’s refusal to give four non-MAI jury instructions in a MHRA employment discrimination case. McCullough v. Commerce Bank, WD71625, 2011 WL 3106914 (Mo. App. W.D. July 26, 2011). The issue on appeal was...
