SEC Approves Nasdaq’s Board Diversity Rules

Greg Gautam • September 20, 2021

On August 6, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC’s (“Nasdaq”) proposed board diversity rule. The rule is intended to encourage greater board diversity by requiring board diversity disclosures for Nasdaq-listed companies. As explained in more detail in our Fall 2021 Corporate Communicator , the new diversity rule does not mandate quota’s or specific numeric targets for achieving diversity on corporate boards. Rather, the new rule establishes a disclosure framework based on a minimum diversity objective and can be characterized as a “comply or explain” model.

For those interested in learning more about the proposed board diversity rule and diversity, equity and inclusion more broadly, please join me and my partner Marian Zapata-Rossa and the Phoenix Chapter of NASPP on September 29, 2021 from 12:00pm – 1pm PST for a presentation on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the 2021 Workplace.  If you are interested in attending our September 29, 2021 program, you can register here.

Employee burnout: what it is and how to prevent it

By Mardy Gould • May 24, 2024
Employee burnout has become an epidemic in today’s modern workplace. So much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognizes it as an “occupational phenomenon.”1 While many used to consider mounting workplace stress an individual employee problem, these days, it’s become an employer’s responsibility to prevent burnout before it hurts productivity and business performance—not to mention your employees’ physical and mental health. Luckily, you can prevent burnout from affecting your workforce in several ways. This article will explore the causes and signs of employee burnout and the steps you can take to create a positive work environment where employees feel safe from toxic stress levels.

Form 720 and PCORI fee FAQs

By Mardy Gould • May 23, 2024
If you're a small business owner, you may have heard of the acronym PCORI and the fees that come with it. But what is PCORI, and how does it apply to your organization? Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), sponsors of self-insured health plans must pay a fee to fund the federal Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). PCORI is an independent organization the ACA created to conduct research to help healthcare consumers make better decisions for their specific needs and outcomes. It also performs research related to clinical effectiveness. Employers offering a self-insured medical reimbursement health plan, such as a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), must pay this fee by July 31 each year via Form 7201. This fee was initially set to expire in 2019, but Congress extended it through September 30, 20292, due to the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 20203.
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