The Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group advises clients with respect to designing and implementing the following:
- Executive compensation plans, including SERPs, top-hat plans, and 457(b) and 457(f) plans, as well as counseling regarding Section 409A compliance and executive compensation disclosure under the new proxy rules
- Tax-qualified retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans, defined benefit plans, and ESOPs
- Welfare benefit plans, including health reimbursement arrangements, section 125 cafeteria plans, Health FSAs, DCAPs and “wrap” plans, as well as counseling regarding the implementation of HSAs, wellness plans, severance plans and claim administration
- Fringe benefit plans, including transportation and educational assistance plans
We also advise clients with respect to the day-to-day administration, operation and interpretation of executive compensation and workforce benefit plans; the legal compliance, reporting and disclosure requirements related to such plans; and the administrative procedures required to administer such plans.
We provide counsel regarding HIPAA’s portability, privacy and security rules; COBRA; USERRA; FMLA; Medicare and other group health plan federal mandates, as well as new legislation affecting welfare plans, including the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, Michelle’s Law and the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. We also provide counseling regarding the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act and the related federal tax implications of extended health coverage for those who are not “dependents” under federal tax law.
We also advise clients with respect to the following:
- Designing a fiduciary governance structure to manage ERISA fiduciary liability risk and counseling fiduciaries regarding their ERISA duties and the prohibited transaction rules
- Planning audits for legal compliance
- Correcting plan failures under the IRS and DOL voluntary correction programs
- Periodically reviewing management compensation arrangements and compliance with intermediate sanctions
- Conducting negotiations and due diligence related to executive compensation and workforce benefit plans in business mergers, initial public offerings, acquisitions and dispositions, including multi-employer withdrawal liability
- Handling executive compensation and workforce benefits issues arising in bankruptcy transactions
We have extensive experience practicing before federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the DOL and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, as well as in state and federal courts. We have served as special counsel for companies, other law firms and accounting firms providing executive compensation and workforce benefits advice, and we work with our Trusts and Estates Group, advising clients on the complex income, excise and estate tax rules governing plan distribution to estates and individuals.
Client Testimonial:
"Having a broad base of specialties within one firm and a point person who really knows us, our business and our goals has proven to be invaluable for over 20 years now."
Theodore B. Goodnow, CEO
Woodmeister Master Builders, Inc.
Anthony P. DaSilva, Jr.
Partner
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January 27, 2025[ read full story ]Representative Matters
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers regarding the new COBRA premium assistance subsidy rules under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the expansion of the HIPAA privacy and security rules; developed a legal compliance strategy, drafted documents and designed compliance practices and procedures
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers regarding the impact of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 on their welfare benefits plans; developed a legal compliance strategy; and drafted amendments of health care and section 125 cafeteria plans for board approval
- Counseled for-profit employers regarding their claims procedures for handling claims of breach of fiduciary duty related to their tax-qualified retirement plan, including an ESOP
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers regarding the impact of IRC 409A on their non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, separation pay agreements and change of control agreements; develop a legal compliance strategy and draft related documentation for board approval
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers regarding the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act, including counseling related to the employer “fair share” contribution, the “free rider surcharge” and the employer and employee HIRD forms; developed a legal compliance strategy and drafted related documentation for board approval
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers regarding operational or plan defects related to their tax-qualified retirement plans, developed a legal compliance strategy and submitted voluntary compliance filings to the IRS under its Employee Plan Compliance Resolution System
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers regarding failure to file Annual Return/Report (Form 5500) on time , developed a legal compliance strategy and submitted filings to the DOL under its Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program
- Counseled a for-profit plan sponsor regarding action required to “freeze” its defined benefit pension plan; drafted documents and submitted plan to the IRS for a determination letter
- Counseled for-profit plan sponsors regarding action required to terminate 401(k) plans and terminate defined benefit pension plans; drafted documents and submitted the plan to the IRS for a determination letter
- Counseled for-profit and not-for-profit employers with respect to the amendments required to conform their tax-qualified retirement plans to the Heroes Earnings and Assistance and Relief Act of 2008; the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007; and the Pension Protection Act of 2006; also developed a legal compliance strategy, drafted related amendments for board approval and submit for-profit tax-qualified retirement plans to the IRS for a determination letter
- Developed and implemented a fiduciary governance structure for a for-profit employer to manage ERISA fiduciary liability risk
