Obama-Era Regulation Adds Worker Protections to Opt-Out Plans

Employees at workers’ comp non-subscriber companies — and potentially those covered by future opt-out plans — will have additional benefit protections under an Obama-era regulation scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. The U.S. Department of Labor regulation applies to employee benefit plans that include disability benefits, as part of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA. Benefits offered to workers as an alternative to state workers’ comp programs typically fall under ERISA. Such plans are available in Texas to companies that decide to not...