retroactivity
reh-troh-ak-TIV-ih-tee
Definition
The quality of applying a legal or regulatory requirement to events that occurred before the rule was enacted or formally clarified.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'retro' (backward) and 'activus' (active). It entered English in the 19th century to describe the application of a law or policy to past actions.
In the news
The article uses this term to describe the debate over whether employers must pay back wellness program rewards to employees for the months prior to completing a tobacco cessation program. It clarifies that federal regulators will now allow employers to start rewards prospectively rather than requiring this back-dated application.
Federal agencies give employers enforcement relief on tobacco surcharge timing
Read the full article ↗Insurance Business