HR & benefits compliance
Staying compliant with federal and Colorado benefits law is time-consuming and the rules keep changing. We track the changes, prepare the documents and tell you what you need to do and when.
We track the rules, prepare the documents and tell you what's due.
What does benefits compliance cover?
Employee benefits compliance means meeting the federal and state rules that apply to the health and welfare plans you offer: ACA employer mandate and Forms 1094/1095 reporting, ERISA plan documents and SPDs (often through a wrap document), Section 125 POP plans, COBRA and Colorado continuation notices, FMLA, PCORI fees, prescription drug (RxDC) reporting, Consolidated Appropriations Act requirements and Colorado's FAMLI paid leave program. The Foxhound Group helps clients with each of these and offers a free compliance audit.
By the numbers
50+
full-time employees make you an applicable large employer under the ACA
July 31
PCORI fee due each year on IRS Form 720
20+
employees: when federal COBRA applies
Compliance services
Free compliance audit
A review of your plan documents, notices and filings with a prioritized to-do list.
ACA compliance
Employer mandate, affordability testing and Forms 1094-C/1095-C reporting support.
Learn more →ERISA compliance
Plan documents, Summary Plan Descriptions and wrap documents that tie your benefits together.
Learn more →POP & wrap documents
Section 125 premium-only plans so employees pay premiums pre-tax, plus ERISA wrap documents.
Learn more →COBRA & state continuation
Initial and election notices, administration and Colorado continuation support.
FMLA compliance
Guidance on eligibility, notices and how FMLA interacts with Colorado FAMLI.
Learn more →Colorado FAMLI
Premiums, private plan options, notices and leave coordination.
Learn more →PCORI fees
Calculating and filing the annual PCORI fee on IRS Form 720 for self-funded plans and HRAs.
Learn more →Rx (RxDC) reporting
Annual prescription drug and health care spending reporting required by the CAA.
Learn more →Consolidated Appropriations Act
Gag-clause attestations, broker compensation disclosure, mental health parity and more.
Learn more →Colorado SecureSavings
Whether the state retirement program applies to you, and how to facilitate it.
Learn more →Required annual notices
CHIP, Medicare Part D creditable coverage, WHCRA, Marketplace and other notices, branded for your company.
Compliance lunch & learns
Short sessions for your HR team on the rules that matter this year.
Beyond benefits: HR support
Our Benefits Success Experts also help with the HR rules that sit next to your benefits program. We monitor changes, give you guidance, help you write compliant policies and can audit your HR practices.
- Overtime and minimum wage laws
- Family and medical leave laws
- Employee classification (exempt vs. non-exempt)
- Record keeping and reporting requirements
- Equal employment opportunity laws
- Immigration (I-9) requirements
Frequently asked questions
Do small employers need an ERISA plan document?
Yes. Almost every private employer that sponsors a health or welfare plan, regardless of size, is subject to ERISA and needs a written plan document and Summary Plan Description. Carrier certificates usually don't satisfy the requirement on their own, which is why many employers use a wrap document.
What is a POP (premium-only plan) and do I need one?
A premium-only plan is a simple Section 125 cafeteria plan that lets employees pay their share of health premiums before tax. If employees pay premiums through payroll pre-tax, you need a written Section 125 plan document.
Which employers must file ACA Forms 1094-C and 1095-C?
Applicable large employers, generally those with 50 or more full-time employees including full-time equivalents in the prior year, must file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. Smaller self-funded employers file Forms 1094-B and 1095-B.
What is PCORI and who pays it?
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute fee is an annual per-covered-life fee paid by sponsors of self-funded health plans and HRAs, filed on IRS Form 720 by July 31. For fully insured plans the carrier pays it.
Schedule a commitment-free meeting
Tell us what's working and what isn't. We'll review your benefits or coverage and give you an honest plan, at no cost.