Author: Heather Bader

Heather Bader assists plan sponsors and service providers in navigating the complexities of qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, as well as health and welfare plans. While her work extends to all aspects of employee benefits, she is particularly experienced in assisting plan committees and sponsors in fulfilling their fiduciary duties. Heather advises on a variety of fiduciary compliance issues and assists with the defense of government agency audits and investigations, including but not limited to the Department of Labor (DOL), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Heather works with plan sponsors that are publicly traded and the issues surrounding employer securities in retirement plans. Heather is co-leader of the firm’s financial services industry group.

Audiocast – Navigating Employee Benefits in an Evolving COVID-19 Pandemic

Faegre Drinker and Multnomah Group held a roundtable discussion designed to provide practical advice on navigating employee benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers are dealing with remote work, layoffs, reduced hours, as well as determining how these changes will impact the operations of their employee benefit plans. Furthermore, with the passage of recent legislation such as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and potential passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, employers are faced with more challenges and changes.

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CARES Act Brings Much-Needed Relief (and New Obligations) for Benefit Plans

As people across the country react to the quickly changing COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed another piece of legislation providing guidance and relief on a variety of issues — the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020. This article includes brief summaries of what employers should know about key benefits-related components of the CARES Act. Plan sponsors should review their plans to assess the impact of these changes and take appropriate steps to implement the changes (some of which are required).

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