Brian Bartels, partner and member of the firm’s national Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group, recently presented a compliance session during the United Benefits Advisors^® (UBA) Fall Conference in Chicago, IL.

The presentation, titled “Compliance Considerations for Popular Fringe Benefits,” examined the common compliance methods, issues, challenges and requirements involved with adoption assistance programs and adoption-related benefits, surrogacy and fertility/infertility benefits, educational assistance programs and cafeteria plan benefits offered by employers.

Brian Bartels leads the firm’s national health and welfare benefits practice.  He advises clients across the country on group health plans, wellness programs, cafeteria plans, health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, and other health and welfare plans.  Brian regularly counsels clients on mental health parity, No Surprises Act, HIPAA, ERISA, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and COBRA compliance issues.  He drafts and negotiates service agreements and business associate agreements for employee benefit plans.  Brian prepares plan-related documents, employee communications, and HIPAA policies and procedures and counsels clients on benefit plan design and administration issues.  He assists employers respond to employer shared responsibility payments under the ACA, as well as inquiries from the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor.  He also advises clients on employee benefits issues in the context of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.