A growing number of medical organizations, courts and administrative bodies have stated that transition-related medical care is medically necessary and should be covered by employer-sponsored medical plans. Access to employer-sponsored healthcare coverage for transgender workers has become an issue of focus for civil rights advocacy groups such as Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties
7 Severance Structuring Tips for Tax-Exempt Colleges and Universities
In-house counsel and human resources professionals at tax-exempt colleges and universities often face a variety of challenges when structuring, and determining obligations due under, severance arrangements. There are some key considerations to bear in mind, which are outlined in this article.
Fridays with Benefits Webinar | All in the Family: 21st Century Benefit Plan Strategies for Family-Owned Businesses
Those were the days: when family-owned businesses paid only passing attention to the business value of providing tax-efficient—and incentivizing—benefit plans and compensation options. Tomorrow, Employee Benefits partner Todd Solomon and Private Client partner Bobbi Bierhals join host Judith Wethall during our Fridays with Benefits webinar series to discuss benefit plans and compensation strategies for modern
Key Considerations with Alternative Investments for Pension Plans
Todd Solomon and Brian Tiemann presented on alternative investments for pension plans during the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) Conference in Chicago. They discussed various rules benefit plan investors should consider, including the “look-through” rule and the “significant” investment rule. They also addressed common hedge fund structural and operational issues, and problems if a fund
The Forgotten “T” in LGBT: Best Practices for Creating a Transgender-Inclusive Workplace
Creating a gender identity and/or expression inclusive workplace allows employers to attract and retain talented employees, boosts engagement and productivity, and mitigates risks of legal claims. In a presentation at the 37th Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefit Symposium, Todd Solomon creates a business case for transgender inclusion by exploring legal trends. He discusses best practices
Federal Appellate Court Finds That Title VII Bans Gender Identity Discrimination
The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled on March 7, 2018, that workplace discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The language of Title VII does not expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity. However, the US
The Forgotten “T” in LGBT Diversity: Best Practices for Creating a Transgender-Inclusive Workplace
Todd Solomon urged employers to “get past” a reluctance to deal with transgender employee concerns and “press the issue in order to create a comfortable and inclusive environment” in the workplace. “Support for LGBT employees must come from the top down in order to be effective, and it has to be evidenced by concrete actions
Federal Appellate Court Finds That Title VII Bans Sexual Orientation Discrimination
On February 26, 2018, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (covering Connecticut, New York and Vermont) ruled that workplace discrimination on the basis sexual orientation violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).
The language of Title VII does not expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual
Tax and Benefits Considerations for Service Providers for Family Offices
Patrick McCurry and Todd Solomon wrote this bylined article on how family offices are using sophisticated techniques to compensate their employees in a tax-efficient manner. “We expect to see the continued use of equity to deliver tax-efficient compensation to family office employees while aligning the economic interests and incentives of the family and the family
Fringe Benefits: What Tax Reform Means to the Employer
The new tax reform legislation includes important changes to the tax treatment of employer-sponsored benefit programs, including transportation benefit programs and moving expense reimbursements. The law also creates a new tax credit for employers who provide paid family and medical leave to their employees.