The past year has been an important one for business owners, with the Supreme Court issuing several decisions on labor and employment cases that will have significant ramifications for employers and the benefits they offer.
Here are some of the biggest developments from 2014:
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.
In this much-publicized case, three private companies objected to providing certain kinds of contraception as part of their health care plans. The Supreme Court agreed that the companies were exempt from that regulation due to the owners’ religious beliefs.
Two Other Cases to Watch
Halbig v. Burwell
This case involves a challenge to tax subsidies allowed under the ACA. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal which could prove the subsidies invalid in more than two dozen states due to specific language in the law.
Tibble v. Edison International
The Supreme Court will also hear a case involving whether a 401(k) plan administrator has a “continuing duty” to prudently manage investments no matter when they were first selected. If the decision is reversed, pension plan participants could much more easily sue their fiduciaries for bad management of their investments.
For more information, check out the full article on Employee Benefit Adviser.