On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a sweeping cannabis bill legalizing recreational marijuana for those aged twenty-one and over. New York previously legalized medical marijuana and certain hemp products, but the new law takes the final step towards full legalization. With the passage of this law, New York becomes the sixteenth state
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021, by President Joseph Biden. The ARPA makes several important changes to the benefits first created in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). These changes become effective April 1, 2021, and employers must determine how the ARPA affects their
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) provides for a 100% COBRA premium subsidy for “assistance eligible individuals,” for the period from April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021. During this six-month time period, group health plans must treat an assistance eligible individual as having paid the full amount of premiums for COBRA coverage.
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (“ARPA”). This Alert will summarize the significant tax and employee benefit provisions that are contained in ARPA.
Recovery Rebates to Individuals
ARPA enacted new Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) Section 6428B, which provides individuals with a $1,400 recovery rebate credit
Effective Friday, March 19, many of the mandatory practices that Connecticut required businesses to follow in order to reopen during the pandemic changed to recommended best practices. Under the prior guidance, Connecticut businesses were required to:
Last week, we held another webinar to discuss some of the most frequently asked questions regarding employers and vaccines. Our program was recorded and can be found here.
Right now, Connecticut is ranked among the top states in vaccine distribution with over 1.4 million COVID-19 vaccinations administered. Connecticut is expected to receive an increased
Earlier this month, the Connecticut General Assembly gave final approval to a bill that seeks to right some of these historical wrongs by making it illegal to discriminate in employment on the basis of a hairstyle related to the person’s race. Governor Lamont recently signed the measure and the new law goes into immediate effect.
On March 4, 2021, Governor Lamont signed H.B. 6516, An Act Mitigating Adverse Tax Consequences from Employees Working Remotely During COVID-19, and Concerning the Removal of Liens on the Property of Public Assistance Beneficiaries and a Three-Tired Grants in Lieu of Taxes Program.
This new law allows Connecticut residents to take credits for
With Governor Lamont changing the COVID-19 vaccination plans to an age-based rollout, employer questions surrounding reasonable accommodations remain. Join Shipman employment lawyers Keegan Drenosky, Sheridan King and Daniel Schwartz for this complimentary 30-minute webinar answering frequently asked questions related to reasonable accommodations on the basis of religious beliefs or practice (under Title VII of the
With Governor Lamont’s change to the vaccine distribution program to an age-based rollout starting March 1, 2021, all employers (not simply those “essential” workplaces) must now consider whether to require, or even to encourage, their employees to get the vaccine.
At our webinar earlier this month (which is still available for on-demand viewing here),