Employee Benefits Update – January 2014

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS PLAN PROVISION SHORTENING LIMITATIONS PERIOD
On December 16, 2013, the Supreme Court settled a long-standing split among various Circuit Courts of Appeals, holding that an ERISA plan may impose a limitation on the time period during which a participant can sue for benefits that begins to run prior to the date on which the participant’s final appeal is denied. See Heimeshoff v. Hartford Life & Accident Insurance Co.

ERISA section 502(a)(1)(B) allows […]

By | January 19th, 2014 ||

New Jersey Raises State Minimum Wage

This past November the voters of New Jersey approved a ballot question both raising the state minimum wage and amending the State Constitution to tie future increases to inflation. Here is what employers need to know:

Effective January 1 the state minimum wage for almost all employees has increased from $7.25 per hour to $8.25.
Going forward, the state minimum wage will be increased every January 1 in accordance with an increase in the federal government’s […]

By | January 16th, 2014 ||

Be Global: Employment law e-bulletin – December 2013

GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT LAW DEVELOPMENTS
AMERICAS
US: Whistleblowing developments

A recent decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has confirmed that the anti-retaliation provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act only confer protections to whistleblowers who report conduct to the Securities and Exchange Commission. In another case, the Southern District of New York also concluded recently that Dodd-Frank?s anti-retaliation protections do not apply to conduct outside of the United States. Further details are in […]

By | January 14th, 2014 ||