Governor Cuomo has announced that the New York State of Emergency, first declared on March 7, 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, has expired. Businesses are no longer required to limit capacity or maintain social distancing, although they are free to continue restrictions if they choose.
CDC guidance remains in effect for large venues, schools, public transit, healthcare settings, nursing homes, and correctional facilities. The CDC is monitoring for the presence of the Delta variant of COVID-19 due to the higher transmissibility of the strain and the tendency to become the dominant strain in areas where it has been detected.
New York’s success in bringing the COVID infection rate down has been attributed in part to tighter restrictions and the high vaccination rate. Over 20 million doses of the vaccine have been administered. Areas of the country with the lowest vaccination rates (such as the Gulf states) are considered the most vulnerable to future surges in COVID infection rates.
Benefit Design Services is moving to another building in our corporate park. Effective May 1, 2021, our new address will be:
5010 Campuswood Drive, Suite 105
East Syracuse, NY 13057
We’ll be moving on April 29th and 30th and are hoping for minimal disruption of phone and internet service.
The IRS announced in March that personal protective equipment (PPE) used in preventing the spread of COVID-19 is now an eligible medical expense under Section 213(d) of the IRS code. Retroactively to January 1, 2020, the cost of hand sanitizer, wipes, and masks can now be reimbursed from your FSA, HSA, or HRA.
In January 2020 when COVID-19 was first becoming a part of our daily vocabulary, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a national public health emergency (PHE). What does that mean? The website PHE.gov explains how they work, what authority they give Secretary Azar, and the effects they can have on government programs. It also maintains a list of current PHEs.
Employer group benefits are affected by PHEs as insurance carriers and retirement plan administrators temporarily modify their processes to accommodate the emergency. Since PHEs can be extended as the need arises, employer groups have the added responsibility of keeping up with changes that happen faster than handbooks can be updated.
See a list of PHE extended deadlines here.
Beginning June 25, 2020, New York State (along with New Jersey and Connecticut) has issued a travel advisory for anyone who lives in or travels to a state with a 10% or higher average COVID-19 infection rate then returns to New York. Visitors and travelers, upon entering New York, are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. The above link includes information on exemptions for essential workers.
With summer vacations increasing out of state travel, employers in New York should inform employees who choose to travel to those states for personal reasons that they will NOT be eligible for New York’s Paid Sick Leave. This does not apply if the employee travels for work or at the employer’s request.
The list of applicable states changes weekly and should be monitored by those planning to travel.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has revised the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application and also created a shortened form for those who meet the requirements. (Previously the guidelines for loan forgiveness were changed to give more flexibility in the amount of time to use the funds and the amount required to be used for payroll.)
Additional details and links to the applications
For employers struggling with how to use the funds from their PPP loan, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) was signed into law on June 5th, 2020. It includes an extension of the amount of time allowed to use the funds and requires a smaller percentage to be used for payroll in order to have the loan forgiven. Additional details
New York now has loans available for those small businesses that did not get Federal aid through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for COVID-19 in 2020. Eligible businesses have fewer than 20 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, and the loans are paid back over a 5 year term. Additional details
To see if your business qualifies for reopening, use this link to enter your county and business category.
In response to the national emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Labor announced on May 4th, 2020 a ruling extending deadlines related to employer group benefit plans. Plan Sponsors and employers have extensions to provide some of the required notices, and plan participants/beneficiaries have extended deadlines including Federal COBRA election/premium payments, special enrollment periods, and disability claims. Additional details
(315)437-2484
5010 Campuswood Dr, Ste 105, E. Syracuse, NY
