The four webcasts that make up our fall/winter Client Advisory Seminar Series cover a wide range of topical matters for plan sponsors and employers.
We’ll start in September with a discussion of practical COBRA administration tips. In October, our compliance experts will examine employers’ emergency preparedness as it pertains to ERISA compliance. Finally, in December and January, we’ll feature our popular year in review and ACA reporting webcasts.
Scroll down for more information on each of these presentations and click the links to register. We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a robust series on compliance issues that affect employers and health & welfare plan sponsors of all sizes.
When COBRA strikes: A survival guide for plan sponsors
Sept. 22, 2026 | 2-3 p.m. CT
Speakers: Michael Baker, JD, and Amanda Curtin, JD
Even for seasoned HR professionals, dealing with the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) can be tricky because of its rigid deadlines, various rules for specific life events, and financial penalties for seemingly minor mistakes.
Our panel of compliance experts will share strategies that can help employers avoid COBRA’s teeth and better prepare for a wide range of scenarios involving job loss and other qualifying events.
Topics will include:
Common administrative errors and potential pitfalls with leaves of absence
How COBRA and Medicare interact
Compliance concerns with managing COBRA during a merger or acquisition, and the intersection of COBRA and retiree plans
REGISTER HERE (opens a new window)
Weathering the storm: ERISA emergency preparedness for plan sponsors
Oct. 13, 2026 | 2-3 p.m. CT
Speakers: Joel Cochran, JD and Suzanne Bach, JD
Natural disasters, cyber incidents, pandemics, and other emergencies can test an employer in many ways, including the ability to meet ERISA compliance obligations for its health plan.
In this session, we’ll discuss what plan sponsors need to think about to prepare for and respond to unexpected events. Key topics will include:
Maintaining electronic access to key plan documents
Understanding extensions for Form 5500 filings and participant notices
Maximizing the benefits of e-disclosure practices
Adopting cybersecurity safeguards that support fiduciary responsibilities when operations are interrupted
REGISTER HERE (opens a new window)
The year in review: What happened in 2026, what matters, and what's next for employee benefits
Dec. 3, 2026 | 2-3 p.m. CT
Speakers: Rory Akers, JD and Mark Holloway, JD
Join us as we rehash and refresh some of the biggest benefit compliance happenings of 2026 that employers will want to consider as they roll into the new year. Jump-start your planning and strategy with our robust discussion of topics that will dominate health and welfare benefits in 2027, including:
The latest on Congressional actions and new agency guidance
Prescription drug issues, including an update of a new law enacted in 2026 and new regulations
The current state of mental health parity rules and enforcement efforts, and what’s likely in store for 2027
Out-of-network billing and changes to the No Surprises Act requirements
Litigation impacting employer benefit plans, including a review of fiduciary cases, class action lawsuits, and HIPAA
REGISTER HERE (opens a new window)
ACA reporting for 2026: Everything employers should know
Jan. 12, 2027 | 2-3 p.m. CT
Speakers: Ruhe Wadud, JD and Michael Baker, JD
ACA employer mandate-related filings (as well as several state individual mandate filings) for the 2026 calendar year will be due in early 2027, and there are several important items and reminders to consider. Join us for our annual ACA reporting webcast, in which we’ll discuss:
What’s new and how to complete the 2026 Forms 1094-C and 1095-C
Frequently asked about and particularly challenging coding scenarios, including COBRA and M&A-related examples
Rules requiring all employers subject to the ACA employer mandate to file electronically
Relaxed rules for furnishing 1095-Cs to individuals with proper notice
An update on enforcement efforts we’ve seen
REGISTER HERE (opens a new window)
For more alerts, insights and additional information, click here (opens a new window) to visit Lockton's ERISA Compliance Consulting page.
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