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Before the clock could even click toward midnight on Dec. 15, the original deadline for signing up for 2017 Obamacare policies that will take effect on Jan. 1, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today extended the cutoff date to Monday, Dec. 19, at midnight.
"Millions of Americans have already signed up for coverage and tens of thousands more are in the process of getting coverage today," Kevin Counihan, CEO of the Health Insurance Marketplace, said in a statement, adding that the marketplace had seen an "extraordinary volume of consumers contacting our call center or visiting HealthCare.gov."
Even before enrollment commenced on Nov. 1, the department announced a provision for those whose policies were being abruptly canceled this year to enroll by Dec. 31 to avoid a lapse in coverage and any tax penalties that may ensue.
Enrollment will continue after Dec. 19, but the policies issued after that date will not start on Jan. 1 and could pose a tax liability.
Practical articles on HR, Safety, compliance, and people operations—written for real businesses, not legal textbooks.
U.S. Department of Labor Officially Restores Prior Overtime Exemption Rules
On May 14th, 2026, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it has officially rescinded the 2024 overtime exemption rules. Specifically, the WHD published a technical amendment to restore previous 2019 regulations that dictated overtime exemptions for...
NLRB General Counsel Takes Action to Tackle Current Case Backlog
On May 6th, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and NLRB General Counsel Crystal Stowe Carey announced the bulk transfer of thousands of labor practice cases. Specifically, this action fulfills an initiative signed by the NLRB General Counsel earlier this year. Overall, the initiative...
Privacy Agency Invites Comments from Businesses on the CCPA’s Usage of Personal Data
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DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule To Unify Standards Under Federal Labor Laws
In April 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to establish a single, clear standard for determining when joint-employer status applies under three major federal laws: the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Migrant and Seasonal...
DOL Updates Enforcement Approach for Employee Benefit Plans: What Employers Should Know
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a significant change in its enforcement of employee benefit plan rules. The DOL will now focus more closely on serious violations that harm workers and retirees, meaning compliant employers may face less scrutiny under the updated approach.