Employee Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits planning matters have become more complex, requiring increasing attention by the owners and managers of businesses of all types. To assist in this area, we have extensive experience in designing and implementing a variety of employee benefit plans, including profit sharing, pension, 401(k), other qualified deferred compensation, non-qualified deferred compensation and stock-related plans, as well as flexible benefit, self-funded medical, welfare benefit and other plans. We represent our clients before the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and in related litigation. We also advise clients on statutory and other regulatory changes to ensure their programs comply with applicable law.

We are also involved in internal reviews initiated by plan sponsors to evaluate the operational compliance of various benefit plans. We have counseled our clients regarding utilizing voluntary compliance initiatives sponsored by the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service, and have assisted in the preparation of supporting applications and reports.

In addition, we frequently represent clients regarding the employee benefit aspects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including due diligence evaluations of liability exposure and the subsequent integration of benefit programs. We are also involved in advising our clients regarding the employee benefit plan aspects of reductions in force.