Successful employers constantly strive to attract, retain and motivate the best employees. While cash compensation is always important, employee benefit plans often allow creative employers to set themselves apart. Recently, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce study confirmed that benefits account for nearly 40 percent of an average employee's total compensation.
Our team of employee benefits lawyers represents thousands of employers, ranging from small family businesses to Fortune 500 companies. We help employers design, implement and maintain cutting edge benefit arrangements. In addition, we assist employers with successfully negotiating effective solutions to benefit plan issues, from contracts with vendors that may have a financial interest in selling one specific type of arrangement or another to IRS negotiation. When disputes arise under employer benefits plans, we aggressively defend our clients.
Design, Implementation and Maintenance
Qualified retirement plans (including traditional pension plans, 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans) that efficiently achieve the goals of companies and owners
Deferred compensation, equity compensation, synthetic equity compensation, bonus and other arrangements that help employers to motivate, reward and retain key producers
Age-weighted retirement plans that help senior employees (typically owners or key producers) to save additional money for retirement
Total compensation packages to attract key personnel
Cost-saving changes with collectively bargained employees
Responses to complex law changes, including cost-effective alternatives and updated plan documents
Compliance Issues and Management of Health and Welfare Plans
Design and implementation of COBRA policies and forms
Complex COBRA questions and disputes
Negotiation of third-party service provider contracts and resolution of disputes with those providers
Specific health needs of individual employees (former owners, high claim individuals, key producers and others)
Benefits Issues as Part of a Merger or Acquisitions
Employee Benefits Enforcement and Litigation
Defending clients against U.S. Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service audits, investigations and assessments
Defending clients against multi-employer plan withdrawal liability claims and audit adjustments
Unique Benefits Rules involving Municipalities and School Districts
Early retirement programs, including retiree health benefits
Specific benefit packages for key employees
Obligations and opportunities under the Wisconsin Retirement System
If you would like more information regarding our Employee Benefits area, please contact Kelly S. Kuglitsch at 414.225.1417 or kkuglitsch@dkattorneys.com.