2026 Educational webcast calendar

Professional education opportunities offered by the Baldwin Professional Education Connection (BPEC) are detailed in the following 2026 annual broadcast calendar. BPEC courses are typically broadcast live on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 1:00 pm eastern, 10:00 am pacific. Program participants who attend a live BPEC webcast presentation are eligible to apply for HRCI or SHRM professional continuing education credits.

The BPEC’s educational opportunities are offered as a core service for the benefit of clients, prospective clients, and colleagues of Baldwin Risk Partners and its affiliate partnerships located throughout the United States. BPEC programming is developed in-house by the subject matter experts at the Baldwin Regulatory Compliance Collaborative. To the extent a program is supplemented with additional course materials, these items will be distributed to participants via email following the broadcast of the program, and an archive of previously broadcast presentations is available for viewing and downloading.

Interested individuals are encouraged to register early for the BPEC’s educational webcasts. The annual broadcast schedule is published in January of each year, detailing course dates, monthly program topics, and our scheduled speakers for the full calendar year.

To view upcoming or past webinars please visit our webinars page to learn more.

2026 Educational Webcast Calendar

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”) represents the most significant push for transparency in employer-sponsored health plans since the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The law, which incorporates the No Surprises Act and Transparency in Coverage (TiC) rules, mandates sweeping changes on employer-sponsored health plans, forcing the disclosure of previously hidden cost and quality information. Plan sponsors now face an actively enforced compliance calendar that includes the Gag Clause Prohibition Compliance Attestation (“GCPCA”), detailed Prescription Drug Data Collection (“RxDC”) reporting, and full deployment of a member Price Comparison Tool for all covered services. Looking ahead, employers should monitor the status of the deferred Advanced Explanation of Benefits (AEOB) and Good Faith Estimate (GFE) process.

The primary focus for plan sponsors is now mitigating ERISA fiduciary risk by mastering CAA requirements and clearly defining the compliance boundaries of their service providers (Third-Party Administrators, carriers, etc.)  Plan Sponsors should implement a proactive monitoring strategy to ensure these complex compliance functions are properly being executed.

Attendees of this program will:

1. High level review of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”).
2. Identify and explain the actively enforced CAA requirements for group health plans (including the Gag Clause Prohibition Attestation, RxDC Reporting, and Price Comparison Tool).
3. Identify and explain the actively enforced CAA requirements (including the Gag Clause Prohibition Attestation, RxDC Reporting, and Price Comparison Tool).
4. Evaluate Service Provider Responsibilities: Working with their trusted advisor, plan sponsors should be able to identify and analyze the shared compliance burden with service providers and establish contractual protections (e.g., indemnification, audit rights) to mitigate the plan sponsor’s ERISA fiduciary risk.
5. Develop a Proactive Monitoring Strategy: Plan sponsors should continue monitoring CAA guidance and future effective dates (particularly for deferred mandates), working closely with their trusted advisor and legal counsel, to ensure internal stakeholders are prepared to meet the law’s ultimate transparency goals.

Participants will explore key legal provisions, employer obligations, and compliance challenges, while learning best practices for managing leave policies effectively.  This webinar is designed for HR professionals and business leaders and will equip attendees with the knowledge to navigate these laws, ensure compliance, and support employees while minimizing operational disruptions.   

Join us for an engaging webinar where we will dive into real-world scenarios and unravel the complexities of state leave laws. Discover how paid family leave and state disability regulations affect employers—and gain practical strategies to stay compliant while supporting your team.

Attendees of this program will:

1. Identify which states and territories have implemented Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) or state disability insurance programs and recognize upcoming laws taking effect through 2026.
2. Compare how federal laws like the FMLA and ADA intersect — and differ from — state-mandated leave programs in terms of eligibility, job protection, and wage replacement.
3. Examine key administrative requirements, including payroll contributions, notice obligations, coordination with PTO and short-term disability, and private plan options.
4. Develop strategies for managing overlapping leave laws, ensuring consistent internal policies, and communicating clearly with employees across multiple jurisdictions

This webinar will address the fundamentals of COBRA continuation coverage. It will cover what qualifying events require an offer of COBRA, what benefits must be offered, who are potential qualified beneficiaries that must be offered COBRA continuation coverage, COBRA notice requirements, timelines, and employer responsibilities. In addition, the webinar will cover common COBRA mistakes and recommended corrections.

Attendees of this program will:

1. Learn COBRA basics like what employers are subject to COBRA, what benefit options are subject to COBRA, what are the listed COBRA qualifying events and the duration of coverage.
2. Learn about various COBRA Notices and Timelines as well as COBRA Premiums and payment deadlines
3. Learn how COBRA applies to H-FSAs and HRAs and pitfalls to avoid those specific plans
4. Learn rules about how COBRA can come into play during mergers and acquisitions
5. Learn about the complex interaction between Medicare and COBRA
6. Learn about common COBRA failings and recommended corrections.

This webinar on Group Health Plan Non-Discrimination Rules and Testing will provide an overview of the key Internal Revenue Code sections that govern non-discrimination for employer-sponsored group health plan benefits, including section 105(h), section 125, and section 129. We will discuss the purpose and detailed requirements of each section, including how Section 105(h) applies to self-insured medical plans, Section 125 governs cafeteria plans, and Section 129 relates to dependent care assistance programs. Attendees will learn about the importance of ensuring benefits do not disproportionately favor highly compensated employees or individuals or key employees, and how each section defines those groups. This webinar will also address the consequences of non-compliance, and practical strategies for testing and corrective actions.

Attendees of this program will:

1. Learn about general non-discrimination concepts under the Internal Revenue Code.
2. Learn what tests apply to what plans. Specifically, self-insured group health plans and IRC §105(h); cafeteria plans and IRC Section 125; and dependent care assistance programs (DCAPs) and Section 129.
3. Learn the mechanics of each test under each code section and who is included in the prohibited group. Specifically, definitions of highly compensated employees or individuals or key employees.
4. Learn common plan design pitfalls such as offering better benefits or lower premiums to executives, failing to base benefits differences on reasonable business classifications, differentiating dependent eligibility.
5. Learn about the consequences of non-compliance, which can include taxation of benefits for HCEs, HCIs or key employees and potential plan disqualification.

This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of the compliance requirements for HSAs, HRAs, MERPS and ICHRAs. Our expert presenters will discuss recent regulatory updates, address common pitfalls, and share best practices for maintaining compliance for these account-based plans. Through real-world examples, participants will gain practical insights to help their organizations avoid costly mistakes and ensure their benefits programs are up to date with current laws.

Attendees of this program will:

1. Understand the regulatory framework: Participants will learn about the key federal laws and regulations governing HSAs, HRAs, MERPS, and ICHRAs.
2. Identify compliance challenges: Attendees will explore common compliance issues such as eligibility determination, contribution limits, substantiation of expenses, integration with other health plans, and reporting obligations.
3. Respond to regulatory changes: Participants will receive updates on recent and pending regulatory changes affecting these account-based plans and learn how to proactively adapt their benefits programs.

The year 2026 will see significant changes to benefits, employment and labor laws at both the state and federal levels. In this webinar, our guest presenters, Sue Bendavid and Tal Yeyni from the Lewitt Hackman law firm, will partner with us to offer current and prospective clients to offer a review of significant 2025 California-focused significant statutory and regulatory activities, as well as insights into potential legislative and regulatory priorities for California in 2026.

Attendees of this program will:

1. Review significant California-focused statutory and regulatory happenings from calendar year 2025;
2. Preview legislative and regulatory priorities for California in the 2026 calendar year;
3. Review significant state and federal judicial activities from 2025;
4. Review payroll, benefit, labor, and employment law related statutory and regulatory activities for California in 2026.