Since Minnesota first announced its Paid Leave program, Comply on the Fly has been sharing resources to help employers prepare. In this episode, Karen B and Compliance Attorney Alex O’Connor tackle the most common questions coming in as we approach the 2026 go-live date.

They cover how PTO, vacation, sick leave, and short-term disability interact with the new benefits, what employers need to know about “topping off,” private plan exception timelines, required notices, and how Minnesota Paid Leave coordinates with FMLA.

If you’re looking for quick, practical answers and clarity on what’s surfaced most often so far, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode of Comply on the Fly, host Karen B. breaks down the annual Gag Clause Attestation requirement due by December 31 and the latest guidance from federal departments.

Understand how new FAQs clarify what counts as a prohibited gag clause—from downstream agreements and discretionary disclosures to limits on data access—and what plan sponsors should do if such clauses exist in their contracts.

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The IRS has announced new FSA contribution limits for 2026, and they’re climbing again. In COTF episode, host Karen Breitnauer walks through what’s changing, including updates to the health FSA contribution cap, reminders on dependent care FSAs, and what employers should do next.

Staying current on these annual limits helps ensure your organization’s benefit offerings remain both compliant and compelling heading into 2026.

In this episode of Comply on the Fly, host Karen Breithnauer shares key reminders for employers during open enrollment, including required notices like HIPAA, CHIPRA, and Medicare Part D. It’s a quick, must-listen for HR professionals, benefits administrators, and compliance leads looking to avoid costly oversights. In under five minutes, Karen breaks down the most important federal compliance tasks into a clear checklist, complete with practical timing reminders and updates to affordability thresholds.

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Minnesota’s new paid family and medical leave law takes effect January 1, 2026. If you have employees in the state, you’ll need to act. This COTF episode features M3’s Alex O’Connor, to  break down what employers need to know: compliance options, premium costs, deadlines, and how to prepare your team.

In this episode of Comply on the Fly, host Karen B. dives into an annual compliance requirement: Medicare Part D creditable coverage notices. Employers that sponsor health plans must tell Medicare eligible participants whether their prescription drug coverage is creditable, meaning it is as good as or better than Medicare Part D.

This notice helps participants avoid late enrollment penalties and must be provided each year by October 15.

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Please note: This podcast and the contents herein do not constitute legal advice. Seek the advice of counsel for any benefit compliance related implementation guidance or strategy.

Did you catch the update? HHS (the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) raised the 2026 ACA out-of-pocket maximums. What does that mean for your group health plan, and your employees? Comply on the Fly has the quick compliance insight you need to stay ahead of 2026 requirements.

Big changes are coming for employers in 2026. In this episode, Karen breaks down the latest update to Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules, including the new IRS affordability percentage that could impact your health plan strategy.

If you're an applicable large employer with 50 or more full-time employees, this matters. Falling short of affordability requirements could lead to significant penalties per employee.

Learn what the new percentage means, how to apply safe harbors, and what steps to take now to stay compliant and avoid costly consequences.

Tune in and get ahead of the changes.

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Please note: This podcast and the contents herein do not constitute legal advice. Seek the advice of counsel for any benefit compliance related implementation guidance or strategy.

On this episode of Comply on the Fly, host Karen B unpacks the employee benefits provisions in the newly signed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), a sweeping piece of legislation with implications for health savings accounts (HSAs), dependent care FSAs, and Marketplace plan eligibility.

The OBBBA revives and expands key benefits provisions that had expired or been under debate, including first dollar coverage for telehealth, the integration of Direct Primary Care (DPC) arrangements with HSA eligibility, and changes to Marketplace HDHP rules. It also raises the contribution cap for dependent care FSAs starting in 2026.

If you sponsor high-deductible health plans, offer telehealth or direct primary care options, or administer dependent care FSAs, this episode is a must-listen for understanding how the OBBBA could impact your benefit offerings.

Please note: This podcast and the contents herein do not constitute legal advice. Seek the advice of counsel for any benefit compliance related implementation guidance or strategy.

On this episode of Comply on the Fly, host Karen B breaks down the 2025 PCORI (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute) fees—what they are, who owes them, and how to pay. While fully insured employers may be off the hook, those with HRAs and other self-funded plans should take note.

Karen explains how the fees apply based on plan type and coverage year and details the updated per-covered-life amounts for plans ending in 2024. She also outlines the acceptable methods for calculating covered lives and walks through the process of filing the IRS Form 720, including important dates and notices.

If you are sponsoring a self-insured or HRA-integrated plan, this episode offers a practical and timely guide to filing your PCORI correctly.

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Please note: This podcast and the contents herein do not constitute legal advice. Seek the advice of counsel for any benefit compliance related implementation guidance or strategy.