Benefits Blast

The FTC recently appealed a Texas federal court’s decision from August to block the implementation of the FTC’s rule banning worker non-competes.

Institutional Shareholder Services, one of the leading proxy advisory firms, uses its Annual Global Benchmark Policy Survey to gauge investor and other stakeholder interests and market sentiment. 

There is still time to submit responses to Glass Lewis’s 2024 Policy Survey, which the proxy advisor uses to gauge investor and other stakeholder interests and market sentiment. Since Glass Lewis selects the questions, the policy survey also indicates the advisor’s areas of policy focus. In this blog post, we identify a few highlights from the Executive Compensation portion of the survey we think practitioners should be tracking.

What are fringe benefits? In this episode of Winston & Strawn’s Benefits Blast Podcast, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Partners Joanna Kerpen and Ruth Wimer discuss fringe benefits offered by employers, along with the related tax considerations and pitfalls. 

What is the definition of compensation in a retirement plan used for and why does it matter? In this episode of Winston & Strawn’s Benefits Blast Podcast, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Partners Steve Flores and Nancy Gerrie discuss the different definitions of compensation used in retirement plans, including safe harbor and non-safe harbor and the complications that can arise if plan administrators use the wrong one.  

Winston & Strawn is pleased to announce the launch of the Benefits Blast Podcast. During each episode, our attorneys will provide a brief update on innovations, trends, and developments in executive compensation and employee benefits law. Whether you’re a human resource professional, fiduciary, administrator, or on a board of directors, learn everything you need to know about health savings accounts, retirement plans, fringe benefits, telemedicine, and more. Our episodes will be brief, digestible, and published biweekly.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Procedure 2018-52 on September 28, 2018, which updates the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS). Revenue Procedure 2018-52 significantly changes how Voluntary Correction Program (VCP) applications are filed with the IRS.

While there was an uptick in U.S. mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in 2018, various consulting sources expect that 2019 will build upon this transactional momentum during the first half of this year.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made direct changes to employer’s compensation deductions, but also made changes to individual taxation which has an indirect effect on employment. This blog describes some employer strategies which can make 2019 a more tax favorable year for the employer, for the employee, or for both.

As we near the end of the holiday season, we wanted to remind employers who are in the giving spirit to be mindful of the tax implications of their generosity. The Internal Revenue Code, unfortunately, may view your gadget and gift card giveaways as taxable fringe benefits, and thus as compensation to your employees, unless the gifts or prizes fall into a narrow category of exclusions under the Code. 

Yesterday, the IRS issued Notice 2018-76, providing favorable transitional guidance on the deductibility of expenses for meals under section 274 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code).

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Trump on December 22, 2017, makes sweeping changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986

Winston & Strawn is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Benefits Blast blog.