Before employers implement their proposed workforce changes resulting from the finalization of the new overtime rule, released September 24, 2019, see our article for more information, employers should consider what impact those proposed workforce changes may have on their employee benefit plans.

Employee benefit plans with criteria for eligibility, contribution, etc. based on the classification of salary/hourly or exempt/non-exempt may see participant shifts, e.g., a currently exempt employee, participating in the salary only retirement and welfare plans, makes $475 a week in 2019.  On January 1, 2020, that employee, still making $475 a week, is a non-exempt employee and no longer eligible for the salary only employee benefit plans.

The effects of employees shifting from one plan to another effective January 1, 2020, could create issues with non-discrimination testing, top-heavy results, or a reduction in certain benefits going forward (which may require advance notice to the affected participants).  Less obvious effects could be hiding in the compensation definition.  As employers grapple with how to boost an employee into the exempt compensation tier, employers need to consider whether that classification of compensation is in the definition of compensation in the plan document and if so, is the payroll system considering it for the plan-related calculations based on compensation?

The overtime rule change could affect more than the status of an employee as either exempt or non-exempt, but it may be overwhelming to consider all the ancillary areas the new rule touches.  Contact a Jackson Lewis Employee Benefits attorney for guidance as you evaluate your workforce under the new overtime rule.

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Photo of Kathryn W. Wheeler, CEBS Kathryn W. Wheeler, CEBS

Kathryn W. Wheeler is the Knowledge Management (“KM”) Attorney for Jackson Lewis P.C.’s Employee Benefits Practice Group, and is based in the Overland Park, Kansas, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She has more than 25 years in the employee benefits industry, 14 of…

Kathryn W. Wheeler is the Knowledge Management (“KM”) Attorney for Jackson Lewis P.C.’s Employee Benefits Practice Group, and is based in the Overland Park, Kansas, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She has more than 25 years in the employee benefits industry, 14 of those years as a benefits manager for private industry. She received her Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Wheeler has experience with employee benefits from the perspective of clients and of legal counsel, giving her the ability to understand the issues confronting clients from both sides of the table. Her zeal for protecting the company’s interests in employee benefit-related areas led her to receive her law license to better negotiate the statutes and regulations imposed on employers. She has experience in a broad range of benefit matters, including general compliance and administration of qualified retirement plans under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. She also has extensive experience with welfare plan design for self-insured health plans and welfare plan issues involving cafeteria plans, health plans, flexible spending accounts, group insurance products, COBRA, and HIPAA.

Ms. Wheeler has a particular focus on assisting employers with the various compliance requirements associated with qualified retirement plans and qualified welfare plans, including preparing the Form 5500 annual report for clients. She also prepares submissions for Voluntary Correction Program, Delinquent Filer Corrective Program, and Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program. She has experience negotiating with outside benefits providers, including prototype plan sponsors, third party administrators, insurers, actuaries, and auditors.