Rebecca Scandaliato, Vice President of Employee Benefits, explains what a Cafeteria Plan (Section 125) is.
A cafeteria plan, also known as a Section 125 Plan, is a written plan that provides employees an opportunity to receive certain benefits on a pretax basis by allowing them to choose between receiving a taxable benefit (such as cash) or certain qualified benefits for which the law provides an exclusion from wages (such as health insurance).
A "premium-only-plan" (POP) is a basic type of cafeteria plan that allows for pretax health insurance premium contributions by employees.
Cafeteria plans must meet the specific requirements and regulations of Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, which generally include the development of a written plan describing the benefits and establishing rules for eligibility and elections, as well as satisfy various tests for nondiscrimination with respect to certain highly compensated and key employees.
