Stephanie H. Grant
- Senior Counsel
My admin
- Ashlie Wegener
They say you should figure out what you love and then do that for a living. Done and done! I find ERISA and health and welfare issues to be both endlessly interesting and critically important to employers. I also really enjoy my clients and feel lucky to have found a firm that is so sophisticated but is still friendly and supportive. When you are excited to go to work each day, I think you can be an even more effective advocate.
Stephanie Grant’s practice focuses on employee benefits and ERISA – with an emphasis on health and welfare benefits, including COBRA, HIPAA and the Affordable Care Act as well as wellness programs nationwide. While she counsels companies across all industries, many of her clients operate in the automotive and other manufacturing industry space.
industries
practices
- Led the team tasked with the evaluation and creation of new active and retiree health and welfare plans pursuant to a $3 billion acquisition and took the lead on the negotiation of all service provider agreements for third party administrators for the plans.
- Lead attorney on a project for a client with 6,000 employees and 17 affiliates that involved a major overhaul of the documentation for its active employee health and welfare benefit programs.
- Assisted several clients with converting traditional retiree medical plans to retiree health reimbursement arrangements, including drafting appropriate documents for the new programs.
- Successfully argued that the IRS should reduce six- and seven-figure employer shared responsibility penalt
- Led the team tasked with the evaluation and creation of new active and retiree health and welfare plans pursuant to a $3 billion acquisition and took the lead on the negotiation of all service provider agreements for third party administrators for the plans.
- Lead attorney on a project for a client with 6,000 employees and 17 affiliates that involved a major overhaul of the documentation for its active employee health and welfare benefit programs.
- Assisted several clients with converting traditional retiree medical plans to retiree health reimbursement arrangements, including drafting appropriate documents for the new programs.
- Successfully argued that the IRS should reduce six- and seven-figure employer shared responsibility penalties down to zero.
- Assisted with the preparation of formal letters for dozens of adverse benefit determination appeals.
- Reviewed and negotiated dozens of service agreements with health and welfare plan vendors, including HIPAA business associate agreements.
- Assisted clients with union health and welfare benefit issues.
- Conducted HIPAA privacy and security training for clients’ workforce members handling PHI under self-funded group health plans.
- Advised on issues related to health and welfare benefits for inpatriate and expatriate employees.
- Analyzed solutions to COBRA administrative errors and worked with clients to make corrections.
- Prepared legal wrap benefit plan documents and summary plan descriptions for ERISA-covered health and welfare benefits.
- Prepared cafeteria plan documents that comply with the requirements of Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Prepared trust agreements to fund certain health and welfare benefit obligations.
- Prepared documentation for ERISA-covered onsite medical clinics and counseled employers though legal considerations related to onsite medical clinics.
- Advised clients on legal considerations for wellness programs and worked with clients to implement a program that best fits the clients’ needs.
- Counseled clients on issues related to non-HDHP coverage and preserving employees’ eligibility for HSA contributions.
- “ERISA Fiduciary Rx: Prescribing Success in Health and Welfare Fiduciary Duties,” Warner 2024 HR Seminar, May 1, 2024, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- “ACA Reporting Requirements and Strategies,” Warner Webinar,
- “Health and Welfare Update — Learning from Others’ Mistakes,” Wa
- “ERISA Fiduciary Rx: Prescribing Success in Health and Welfare Fiduciary Duties,” Warner 2024 HR Seminar, May 1, 2024, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- “ACA Reporting Requirements and Strategies,” Warner Webinar,
- “Health and Welfare Update — Learning from Others’ Mistakes,” Warner 2023 HR Seminar, May 16, 2023
- “Health and Welfare Plan Update, Returning to Normal? Preparing Your Benefit Plans for a Post-Pandemic World,” Warner 2022 HR Seminar In-Person Event, May 4, 2022, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- “Employer Reporting Requirements for the ACA,” Warner Webinar, December 7, 2021
- “Employee Benefits Two-Part Series on Health and Welfare,” Warner Webinar, June 29, 2021
- “Warner Virtual Automotive Executive Roundtable Series: HR Challenges and Issues,” Warner Webinar, June 16, 2021
- “ACA Reporting Requirements,” Warner Webinar, December 9, 2020
- “Employee Benefits Webinar Series: Part 2 – Health and Welfare Benefits: Recent Developments and Steps to Take Now,” Warner Webinar, October 28, 2020
- “Health and Welfare Plans: Legal and Strategic Issues,” Warner Webinar, June 10, 2020
- “Employee Benefits Panel,” Warner 2019 HR Executive Panels, September 13, 2019, Traverse City, Michigan
- “New Health Reimbursement Arrangement Rules Provide An Alternative to Traditional Group Health Plan Coverage,” Warner Webinar, July 30, 2019
- “Health and Welfare Benefits During Leaves and Layoffs” and “Total Wellness Programs: Win-Win for the Employer and Employee,” Warner Human Resources Seminar, May 7, 2019, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- “Employee Benefits Panel,” Warner 2018 HR Executive Panels, September 20, 2018, Traverse City, Michigan
- “What’s New with Wellness Programs” and “Planning for Change for Benefit Plans,” Warner Human Resources Seminar, May 3, 2018, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- “Employee Benefits Legal Update,” Employee Benefits Update, January 17, 2018, Troy, Michigan
- “Myth or Truth: Employee Benefits Panel,” Warner Labor & Benefits Executive Panels, November 17, 2017, Traverse City, Michigan
- “ACA Report Requirements,” Warner Webinar, November 6, 2017
- “Keeping Your Wellness Program Compliant,” Warner Human Resources Seminar, May 23, 2017, Grand Rapids, Michigan
watch my videos
- New Bill Ends Presidential National Emergency – What That Means for EmployersWarner Employment News from the Law Shanty
- Warner Video Special: Happy National Employee Benefits Day!
- Affordable Care Act: Responsibilities for Cannabis EmployersWarner’s Legal News For the Cannabis Industry
- ACA Reporting Requirements and Strategies
- Warner 2023 HR Seminar
- ACA Reporting Requirement Update and Strategies
- Warner 2022 HR Seminar In-Person Event
- Webinar: Employer Reporting Requirements for the ACA
- Webinar: Warner Employee Benefits Two-Part Series on Health and Welfare
- Warner Virtual Automotive Executive Roundtable Series: HR Challenges and Issues
- Webinar: ACA Reporting Requirements
- Employee Benefits Webinar Series: Part 2 – Health and Welfare Benefits: Recent Developments and Steps to Take Now
- Webinar: Commercial Auto Reform
- Health and Welfare Plans: Legal and Strategic Issues
- ACA Reporting Requirements Webinar
- Webinar: New Health Reimbursement Arrangement Rules Provide An Alternative to Traditional Group Health Plan Coverage
- 2019 HR Seminar
- Webinar: ACA Reporting Requirements
- 2018 HR Seminar
- Employee Benefits Update
- 2017 Labor and Benefits Executive Panels (Traverse City)
- Webinar: ACA Reporting Requirements
- 2017 HR Seminar
- Warner Represented ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. in its Merger with Fentura Financial, Inc. and Underwritten Public Offering of Common Stock
- Warner Represented Century Mold in its Acquisition of Integrity Injection Molding
- Warner Represents Macatawa Bank Corporation in Its Pending Merger with Wintrust Financial Corporation
- Warner Represented Linamar in Acquiring Three Battery Enclosure Factories
- Warner Represents Nichols Paper & Supply in Its Sale to Imperial Dade
- IRS Increases Benefit Plan Limits for 2024
- Preparing for Health Plan Anti-Gag Clause Attestation
- Mental Health Parity Guidance is Coming
- Group Health Plan PCORI Fees Due by July 31
- New Bill Ends Presidential National Emergency – What That Means for Employers
- Benefit Plan Guidance for the End of the Public Health Emergency and “Outbreak Period”
- Warner Video Special: Happy National Employee Benefits Day!
- IRS Significantly Increases Many Benefit Plan Limits for 2023
- HR Professionals Day Q&A Video
- HR Professionals Day Offering from Warner
- Affordable Care Act: Responsibilities for Cannabis Employers
- New Guidance on Health Plan Coverage of OTC COVID Tests
- DOL Issues Guidance on Group Health Plan Service Provider Disclosures
- Warner OESA Legal Corner Article: New Tactics Employers Are Taking to Encourage Employee Vaccinations
- COBRA Subsidy Ends September 30 — Don’t Forget to Provide Notice!
- Can an Employer Charge Unvaccinated Employees a Higher Health Plan Premium?
- Group Health Plan PCORI Fees Due by August 2
- IRS Clarifies Treatment of Dependent Care Assistance Programs
- IRS Provides Guidance on COBRA Premium Assistance Program
- COBRA Subsidies and Other Important Benefit Provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act
- UPDATE: Government Clarifies End of Benefit Plan “Outbreak Period”
- Benefit Plan “Outbreak Period” Set to Expire at the End of February – Maybe?
- FSA Options Now that President Donald Trump Signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
- Is the Consolidated Appropriations Act in Trouble?
- Stimulus Bill Provides New Relief for FSAs; Other Developments for Health & Welfare Plans
- IRS Releases Key Benefit Plan Limits for 2021
- New California Law Requires Contract Amendments
- Medicare Part D Notice Required Before October 15, 2020
- LGBTQ Issues for Employee Benefit Plans in Light of Bostock
- Group Health Plan PCORI Fees Due July 31
- New Optional Changes to Section 125 Cafeteria Plans Aimed at Adding Flexibility
- CARES Act Provisions for Health & Welfare Plans: Implications for Employers
- Medicare Part D Notice Required Before October 15, 2019
- Updates in Telemedicine and Mental Health Parity
- Group Health Plan PCORI Fees Due July 31 (and are nearing an end!)
- Court Invalidates Affordable Care Act—What Now?
- Affordable Care Act Reporting Relief: IRS Extends 1095-B/1095-C Distribution Deadline
- Medicare Part D Notice Required Before Oct. 15, 2018
- Group Health Plan PCORI Fees Due July 31, 2018
- HR Focus – News Digest – Spring 2018
- IRS Recalculates Several 2018 Benefit Limits – Including Family HSA Contribution Limit
- IRS Extends 1095-C Distribution Deadline
- Tax Reform Impacts Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit Programs
- The Nation’s Focus on Mental Health Turns to Group Health Plans
- IRS Prepares to Issue ACA Employer Responsibility Penalties
- Expanded Exemption from ACA’s Contraceptive Coverage Mandate
- Open Enrollment Reminder: Use Updated Summary of Benefits and Coverage Forms
- Group Health Plans’ PCORI Fees Due by July 31
- Attorney Spotlight: Stephanie Grant on Wellness Programs
- Should Your Health and Welfare Plan Offer Supplemental Benefits on a Pre-Tax or After-Tax Basis?
- Health & Welfare Plans: Your First “To-Do” List for 2017