On June 14 and 15, the House Education and Labor Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held hearings on policies and priorities of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), as well as President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for DOL. In both hearings, Secretary... View Article
Over the last month, CUPA-HR’s government relations team joined the American Council on Education (ACE) and other higher education organizations in virtual Capitol Hill meetings to discuss tax priorities for the higher education community. Meetings have been held with staffers of Members of the House Ways and Means Committee to advocate for tax policies and... View Article
Two laws Congress passed in the spring of 2020 to provide temporary economic and regulatory relief to individuals and organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are due to expire by the end of this year. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) included significant... View Article
Each month, CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard provides an overview of several labor and employment law cases and regulatory actions with implications for the higher ed workplace. Here’s the latest from Ira: Federal Court Dismisses In-House Attorneys’ Retaliation Claims But Allows Sex-Based Salary Discrimination Claims to Proceed A federal district court trial judge recently dismissed... View Article
Over the last few weeks, the American Council on Education (ACE), with the support of CUPA-HR and other higher education organizations, sent letters to Congress and federal agencies regarding policies impacting institutions of higher education as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is a list and summaries of the letters CUPA-HR has recently signed... View Article
Each month, CUPA-HR General Counsel Ira Shepard provides an overview of some labor and employment law cases and regulatory actions with implications for the higher ed workplace. Here’s the latest from Ira: University Sued by Faculty Union Claiming Layoffs of Adjunct Faculty Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Violates the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security... View Article
On June 1, CUPA-HR joined the American Council on Education (ACE) and other higher education associations in sending a letter to Senate leaders requesting additional unemployment insurance (UI) relief for self-insured colleges and universities. The letter raises concerns with Department of Labor (DOL) guidance requiring self-insured nonprofits to pay money to state UI agencies before... View Article
On May 12, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released two notices providing temporary increased flexibility for Section 125 Cafeteria Plans, health plans that allow workers to choose from a variety of benefits on a pre-tax basis. The first notice, Notice 2020-29, provides relief for taxpayers who are experiencing changes in their expenses due to the... View Article
On May 6, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) released an interim final rule (IFR) to supplement previously issued IFRs implementing the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The new IFR provides guidance tailored for institutions of higher education, such as additional eligibility requirements with respect to student workers and nondiscrimination obligations. The CARES Act,... View Article
The Department of Labor (DOL), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) issued guidance materials for employers and employees to help them better understand how financial assistance resources created in response to the coronavirus public health emergency will be impacted by employee rejection of reemployment opportunities offered by the employer.... View Article
Over the last few weeks, the American Council on Education (ACE), with the support of CUPA-HR and other higher education organizations, sent letters to Congress and federal agencies requesting the government take specific steps to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 national emergency on colleges and universities and their students. Below is a comprehensive... View Article
The novel coronavirus is exacting tremendous strain on campuses across the country. Students are experiencing unprecedented disruption, and colleges and universities are confronting financial and operational upheaval. The resulting revenue losses could adversely impact institutional ability to sustain pay and benefits for faculty and staff. In light of this crisis, the American Council on Education... View Article
As COVID-19 inflicts unprecedented disruption across every sector of the economy, the unemployment insurance (UI) system is undergoing extraordinary strain. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reported that 3.3 million people filed for unemployment insurance during the week that ended on March 21 — the biggest spike in unemployment filings in U.S. history. Analysts predict... View Article