Employee Benefits

Catalog description

Prerequisite: Basic Federal income Taxation is strongly recommended Course Requirement: exam Fulfills Concentration Elective: Business Law, Family Law, Labor & Employment Law, Tax & Estate Planning This course analyzes the tax and labor laws governing employee benefits plans. Students will examine (a) the principal types of retirement plans (including defined benefit pension plans, profit sharing plans, 401(k)/401(m) plans and employee stock ownership plans) and the requirements that these plans must meet in order to obtain favorable tax treatment; (b) issues related to stock-based compensation arrangements such as grants of restricted stock, stock appreciation rights and stock options; and (c) issues arising in connection with the maintenance of employee welfare benefit plans, with a particular emphasis on health plans and severance plans. Significant attention will be paid to the fiduciary requirements and enforcement provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (?ERISA?). Successful completion of Basic Federal Income Taxation is strongly recommended.