Federal Alerts

On Oct. 18, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced via Revenue Procedure 2022-38 the dollar limitation for 2023 on employee salary reductions for contributions to health flexible spending accounts; the monthly limitation regarding the aggregate fringe benefit exclusion amount for transportation in a commuter highway vehicle and any transit pass; and the maximum amount that can be excluded from an employee’s gross income for the amounts paid for qualified adoption expenses furnished pursuant to an adoption assistance program.

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has announced increases to the minimum wages that federal contractors covered under Executive Orders (EO) 13658 and 14026 must pay its employees who are performing work on or in connection with certain covered federal contracts.  

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published a proposed rule that would change the test for determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and rescind and replace the current 2021 rule.

On Aug.  24, 2022, President Biden announced an extension of the pause on student loan repayment through December 31, 2022, along with a plan to forgive a certain amount of student loan debt for certain individuals.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects individuals with gender dysphoria. The ruling applies in the states of Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Governor of Puerto Rico has signed into law Act 52-2022  (the “Act”) stipulating that beginning after Dec. 31, 2021, out-of-state businesses with remote workers in Puerto Rico will not be considered “engaged in industry or business in Puerto Rico.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has held in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, No. 19-1392 (June 24, 2022) that there is no federal protection of abortion rights, overturning nearly 50 years of precedent from the Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania v. Casey on the issue. The ruling now enables each state to set its own legal requirements regarding abortions.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced an adjustment to rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business purposes for calendar year 2022. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the automatic extension period for certain employment authorizations and employment authorization documents (EADs) has been temporarily increased from 180 days to 540 days. The extension period is provided to certain renewal applicants to help prevent gaps in employment authorization due to delays in processing.