LEARN
MORE
Photo team member

Education

JD, UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings)

BA, University of California, Los Angeles

Did You Know

Stephanie honed her sophisticated understanding of law while studying abroad at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany.

IRS v. City (2023) – Convinced the IRS to drop $300,000 worth of penalties against a municipality for late filing of Affordable Care Act tax forms 1094-C and 1095-C.

Navigating ACA Reporting Nuances As Deadlines Loom
02/27/2024
Law360

LCW Senior Counsel Stephanie Lowe recently authored an article regarding the incoming Affordable Care Act deadlines, published in the Expert Analysis section of Law360. In her analysis, Lowe urges readers to understand the nuances of these deadlines, ensure compliance and file in a timely manner to...

READ NOW
Pros & Cons of a 9/80 Work Schedule
04/03/2023
CSDA

Recently published in the California Special Districts Association March/April magazine, LCW Partner Elizabeth Arce and Senior Counsel Stephanie Lowe write on the pros and cons of a 9/80 work schedule. “The 9/80 is a two workweek schedule of eight 9-hour days, one 8-hour day, and one day off” Arce...

READ NOW
Helping Employees Access Pay Resources During Unpaid Parental Leave
03/27/2023
Benefits Magazine

Reproduced with permission from Benefits Magazine, Volume 60 No. 2, March/April 2023, pages 36-40, published by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (www.ifebh.org), Brookfield, Wis. All rights reserved. Statements or opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and...

READ NOW
To Be or Not to Be an Adverse Employment Action – What is Paid Administrative Leave?
09/03/2024
California Public Agency Labor & Employment Blog

This principle used to be clear – paid administrative leave was outside the scope of adverse employment action.  This was based on court holdings that an employee suffers no substantial or material change in terms and conditions of employment while on paid administrative leave.  For years, courts...

READ NOW
Can an employee taking leave for childbirth use PTO before FMLA?
04/11/2022
HR Dive

Associate Stephanie Lowe was interviewed in HR Dive’s article “Can an employee taking leave for childbirth use PTO before FMLA?”
In the article, Stephanie states that “If the employee’s time off is for a qualifying reason such as childbirth, then…the employee cannot...

READ NOW
Back to Basics: The Fluctuating Workweek Method Doesn’t Give Employers an Overtime Pass
12/01/2021
HR Dive

In the Dec. 1 HR Dive article “Back to Basics: The fluctuating workweek method doesn’t give employers an overtime pass,” LCW Associate Stephanie Lowe breaks down what the Fair Labor Standards Act states about the fluctuating workweek method and overtime pay in regard to nonexempt employees as...

READ NOW
What Benefits Administrators Should Know … Temporary Flexibilities for Health FSAs and DCAPs
07/01/2021
HR News

LCW Partner Heather DeBlanc and Associate Stephanie Lowe penned “What Benefits Administrators Should Know … Temporary Flexibilities for Health FSAs and DCAPs” for the July 2021 issue of HR News.  The piece details some of the flexibilities in health FSAs and DCAPs created by the IRS in response to...

READ NOW
Awaiting A Decision: Determining the ACA’s Destiny
06/15/2021
Workspan

In the 2nd Quarter 2021 issue of Workspan, LCW Associate and Affordable Care Act (ACA) expert Stephanie Lowe shares her thoughts on how the Supreme Court might rule on a case regarding the ACA’s individual mandate. The article explores whether the individual mandate can be severed from the ACA as...

READ NOW
CalPERS Requirements Public Agencies Should Know Heading into the New Fiscal Year
05/26/2021
California Public Agency Labor & Employment Blog

As public agencies head into the end of the 2020-2021 fiscal year and prepare for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, it is the perfect time of year for agencies that contract with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (“CalPERS”) to refresh their knowledge about upcoming deadlines and...

READ NOW
Department of Labor Releases Model COBRA Notices for the American Rescue Plan Act’s Employer-Provided COBRA Subsidy
04/12/2021
LCW Special Bulletin

On March 11, 2021, the President signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”), codifying a myriad of changes under the law, including to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”), which provides continuation health coverage for certain employees after their separation...

READ NOW
The Top 9 Ways COVID-19 Can Affect Your Public Agency’s Health Benefits
03/23/2021
California Public Agency Labor & Employment Blog

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the work environment in many ways, including a significant impact on employer-sponsored health benefits.  The past year has resulted in changes to how frequently individuals visit the doctor (or do not visit the doctor), purchase eligible medical expenses, and need...

READ NOW

Connect with