HR News You Need

As an HR professional, you are looking for the latest news to remain in the know and compliant. Each month, we compile the most valuable information in the industry to help with managing and supporting your most important resource — your people!

In this edition:

• Notable Calendar Dates
• HR Updates: Compliance Dates, Benefits, and Health & Safety News
• Additional Guidance from Clark Schaefer Strategic HR

Notable Calendar Dates

Celebrating cultural holidays can provide opportunities for employees to learn about each other's backgrounds and traditions. Are you interested in promoting understanding and strengthening interpersonal relationships in your organization but aren't sure where to start?

Check out the dates below to learn more about the holidays different religions and cultures celebrate throughout this month.

• October 2nd - 4th: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)?
• October 2nd - 4th: Navratri (Hinduism)
• October 11th -12th: Yom Kippur (Judaism)
• October 12th: Dussehra (Hinduism)
• October 14th: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• October 16th - 23rd: Sukkot (Judaism)
• October 20th: Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh)
• October 23rd - 25th: Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (Judaism)
• October 31st: Halloween
• October 31st:?Deepavali/Diwali (Jain/Sikh/Hindu)
• October 31st:?Samhain (Pagan and Wiccan)

Month-Long Recognition

• National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a great time to learn year-round strategies for disability inclusion.
• October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, reminding employees that early detection saves lives. Educate employees on mammogram coverage under group health plans and encourage employees to get screened annually. Share the three keys to early detection or gather donations to send a HOPE kit to women fighting breast cancer. ?
• During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, consider if your company policies support employees attempting to leave abusive situations. Does your organization offer domestic violence or victim leave? Ensure employees know the organization will offer leave to support employees leaving unhealthy relationships.
• Freedom from Workplace Bullies Week is the third week of October. Learn more about what you can do to help prevent workplace bullying.

Compliance Dates

• October 3rd: The retiree drug subsidy (RDS) is available to certain employers who sponsor group health plans covering retirees who are entitled to enroll in Medicare Part D but elect not to do so. RDS Application is due to the Centers for Medicare Services (for plan years beginning on Jan 1, 2025).
• October 3rd: Provide ICHRA Notice for 2025 Plan Year (Calendar-year Plans Only). Employers who offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) must provide a notice to eligible employees regarding the ICHRA’s coverage. This notice must be provided at least 90 days before the beginning of each plan year. For ICHRAs that operate on a calendar year basis, this notice must be provided by Oct. 3, 2024, for the upcoming 2025 plan year. A model notice is available for employers to use.
• October 14th: Medicare Notice of Creditable Coverage must be delivered to plan participants by any employers who sponsor prescription drug coverage and have Medicare Part D eligible employees must comply.?To learn more, visit CMS here.
• October 15th: Final deadline for filing a Form 5500 with a Form 5558 extension.
• October 17th: Individual tax return deadline for those who filed an extension.?
• October 31st: Deadline to file Form 941, employer's quarterly tax return for Q3.

Benefits

The IRS has increased the ACA affordability percentage to 9.02%. For large employers, coverage is considered affordable if the employee’s self-only coverage is under the employer’s lowest cost and the minimum value plan does not exceed 9.02% of the employee’s household income in 2025. Learn more here.

401(k) Non-discrimination pre-testing can determine if your plan is on track to be considered discriminatory. Making adjustments now can help avoid taxing HCE’s contributions next year.?

Changes due to the Inflation Reduction Act will make many group health prescription plans that were borderline now non-creditable. Employers should determine if their existing prescription plans will be considered creditable and whether their plan in 2025 will meet creditable requirements.?

Health & Safety

Eye Injury Prevention Month - Have you trained your employees on the proper use of Safety Glasses? Learn more here.

Additional Guidance from Clark Schaefer Strategic HR

• How To Conduct A Workplace Harassment Investigation
• How Can My Company Choose Between Different Types of Recruitment Services?
• How Do I Prepare for an HR Leave of Absence?
• What Can We Do to Make Onboarding Training Stick?
• What Are The Top 5 Commonly Missed Records In Employee Personnel Files?
• Can I backdate FMLA paperwork?
• Tips for Getting the Most From Your HR Audit
• How to Reenergize Your Team Through Training & Development

The recommendations and opinions provided by Clark Schaefer Strategic HR and its staff are advisory only and are based on general human resource management fundamentals, practices, and principles; they are not legal opinions or guaranteed outcomes. This information is provided with the understanding that the user assumes the risk of verifying information used from this site when interpreting it for their own use. We strongly recommend, as part of a team approach to management, that companies consult with their legal counsel to address specific legal concerns related to human resource issues.

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