"Like defined benefit pension plans, self-funded group health plans place the residual risk of payment on the employer. While there are mechanisms to smooth or reduce some of the payment risk, the plan sponsor is ultimately responsible for ensuring that promised benefits are paid in compliance with the terms of the plan. In both contexts, the participant's protected interest begins and ends with the employer's promise of future benefits, not the participant's preferred method of fulfillment. Participants do not suffer a concrete injury merely because they disagree with how the employer's promises are fulfilled."  MORE >>

"When adjudicating a claim for benefits, an employee benefit plan or its administrator will understandably devote substantial attention to what the decision will be -- that is, whether to grant or deny the claim.... A failure to communicate a denial to the claimant consistent with ERISA's requirements can lead to judicial invalidation, even if the decision to deny benefits is correct." [D.K. v. United Behavioral Health, No. 21-4088 (10th Cir. May 15, 2023; cert. denied Feb. 20, 2024, No. 23-586)]  MORE >>

"A Fox News producer sued under the D.C. Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act after being fired for an absence he failed to report on time. He knew the night before he'd be out, told a coworker but not his supervisor, and didn't call his boss until midday. The court held his conduct wasn't protected. Paid sick leave laws ... condition protection on reasonable notice, and he didn't give any. Fox News won summary judgment." [Donner v. Fox News Network, LLC, No. 23-3401 (D.D.C. Mar. 30, 2026)]  MORE >>

"In a ruling that provides important early guidance on the reach of the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA), a Suffolk Superior Court judge in the Business Litigation Session has held that the PFMLA's anti-retaliation protections apply only to 'employers' and do not extend to individual employees of a corporate employer." [Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), No. 2584CV01816 (Mass. Super. Ct. Feb. 26, 2026)]  MORE >>

"A recent settlement by the Trump administration has made it clear that it intends to enforce parity compliance when it comes to proper access to mental health and substance use disorder services.... In addition to paying a $32 million settlement, Kaiser has agreed to improve monitoring of its behavioral health network for adequacy. According to EBSA, Kaiser violated parity regulations by failing to have sufficient mental healthcare and substance abuse treatment providers in its network."  MORE >>

"Foyer, a savings app that acts as a dedicated 401(k) for homeownership, is now being offered as a benefit through AI-powered platform Nayya, a tool that already supports millions of employees through their workplace benefits and financial options. Under this partnership, Foyer helps employees move from renting to owning by saving for a down payment, improving credit, and handling the homebuying process -- all from one app."  MORE >>

"This chapter reviews the evidence on the impacts of paid family leave (PFL) and paid sick leave (PSL) policies, with a focus on non-childbirth-related caregiving. [The authors] begin with an overview of the prevalence and challenges of informal caregiving in the US and internationally, followed by a description of the current paid caregiving leave policy landscape.... [They] find that paid leave policies have successfully increased leave take-up and that PFL improves labor market outcomes for workers with caregiving responsibilities, without adversely affecting employers. There is also some suggestive evidence of improvements in caregivers' mental health."  MORE >>

"Family offices are understandably private, with many aspects of their operations shrouded in secrecy, including their investments, family members, ownership details and the structures designed to protect them.... Assessing which entities are part of the 'family' enables holistic advice on the family office's obligations, including whether employee benefits must be offered and whether the benefits provided are compliant with current rules. This becomes more complex for family offices with a global scope, particularly if the original family is unfamiliar with U.S. regulations and is hesitant to allow deeper review of the broader structure."  MORE >>

"Under this designation, BNY will manage the initial accounts and help develop the new Trump Accounts app -- a secure, user-friendly platform that will enable families to easily access and manage their accounts. As part of this process, BNY has partnered with Robinhood, which will serve as brokerage and initial trustee for Trump Accounts. Together, these partners will support Treasury's goal of ensuring every eligible child can access a Trump Account quickly and easily."  MORE >>