The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Health & Welfare Plans
August 13, 2026
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6 items · ~2 min read
In this issue
Regulatory Action and Guidance (3) · Litigation (1) · General Benefits (1) · Health & Welfare Plans (1)
Regulatory Action and Guidance
3 items“On August 10, 2026, the Treasury Department and the IRS (together, the IRS) released proposed regulations addressing the long-awaited nondiscrimination rules that apply to dependent care assistance programs (“DCAPs”) under Code section 129. This is the first time the IRS has issued guidance on these rules, which were first effective over 45 years ago! The regulations are consistent with a common-sense approach that some employers have been applying in the absence of specific guidance, and welcome news.” MORE >>
Source: Groom Law Group
“Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program is quickly approaching, bringing significant new obligations for employers of all sizes. Preparing for FAMLI will require coordination across human resources, payroll, benefits, and legal teams.” MORE >>
Source: JD Supra
“On August 10, 2026, the Treasury Department and the IRS (together, the IRS) released proposed regulations addressing employer contributions to Trump accounts, employee pre-tax contributions to Trump accounts, and the nondiscrimination rules that apply to Trump account contribution programs (“TACPs”). These highly anticipated proposed regulations provide welcome guidance to employers and Trump account trustees but still leave unanswered a number of implementation questions. See our prior alerts here. Starting this year, employers can contribute to an employee or an employee’s dependent’s Trump account on a tax-free basis, up to a combined $2,500 per year (adjusted annually for inflation after” MORE >>
Source: Groom Law Group
Litigation
1 item“66 Franklin Street, Suite 300 Oakland, CA 94607 In Healthcare Ally Management of California, LLC v. WSP USA, Inc., No. 24-3479, — F.4th —-, 2026 WL 2319896 (9th Cir. Aug.” MORE >>
Source: cms.gov
General Benefits
1 item“Effective January 1, 2027, the new law amends the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) to prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of “menopause-related conditions”, which are defined as “perimenopause, menopause, and associated medical or symptomatic conditions.” The conditions include but are not limited to vasomotor symptoms, sleep disruption, cognitive changes, mood changes, and osteoporosis-related changes. The Act also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with menopause-related conditions. Additionally, it expands the types of accommodations that employers may be required to provide for pregnancy and menopause, such as flexible scheduling, modif” MORE >>
Source: National Law Review
Health & Welfare Plans
1 item[General Benefits]
Building Benefits: ERISA Insights for Construction Employers Cutting Health Plan Costs Without Creating Fiduciary Risk“Construction businesses are under constant pressure to reduce health plan costs. But many cost-cutting decisions create fiduciary exposure that doesn't surface until there’s a claim, an audit, or a lawsuit.” MORE >>
Source: JD Supra