Advisory Opinions

Requests for interpretations and other rulings under Title 1 of ERISA are handled by the Office of Regulations and Interpretations under the provisions established by ERISA Procedure 76-1. The office answers inquiries from individuals and organizations in the form of advisory opinions, which apply the law to a specific set of facts, or information letters, which merely call attention to well established principles or interpretations.

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**1995**
AO/ Date/ Reference	Recipient	Description of Request
1995-10A 06/16/1995 3(33) 4(b)(2)	Mr. James F. Podheiser Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young 2600 Commerce Square Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-7098	Whether benefit plans for the employees of St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an institution of the Jesuit Fathers and Brothers, are “church plans” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(33).
1995-09A 06/16/1995 3(33) 4(b)(2)	Mr. John J. Hunter Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young 2600 One Commerce Square Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-7098	Whether benefit arrangements for employees of the Archmere Academy, Inc., an institution of the Canons Regular of Premontre a/k/a the Norbertine Fathers, are “church plans” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(33).
1995-08A 06/16/1995 3(33) 4(b)(2)	Ms. Anne E. Moran Miller & Chevalier 655 Fifteenth Street, N.W. Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20005-5701	Whether the health benefit plans of eight institutions of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Perpetual Adoration are “church plans” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(33) and are thus excluded from ERISA Title I requirements by section 4(b)(2).
1995-07A 03/06/1995 3(33) 4(b)(2)	Mr. Gair Petrie Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller Suite 1200, Washington Trust Financial Center 717 West Sprague Avenue Spokane, Washington 99204-0464	Whether the Providence Services Pension Plan is a “church plan” or plans within the meaning of ERISA section 3(33) where Providence Services is an institution of St. Ignatius Province of the Sisters of Providence.
1995-06A 05/18/1995 3(40) 514(b)(6)	Mr. Tom Portier Compliance Examiner Louisiana Department of Insurance P.O. Box 94214 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9214	Whether Mid-Continent Medical Benefits Trust, administered by Profession Administration Group, is a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(40)(A).
1995-05A 05/18/1995 3(1)	Mr. Paul A. Green Beins, Axelrod, Osborne, Mooney & Green, P.C. The Colorado Building Suite 700 1341 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005-3105	Whether the United Mine Workers of America - Bituminous Coal Operators' Association, Inc. Labor Management Positive Change Process Fund is an “employee welfare benefit plan” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(1).
1995-04A 05/03/1995 401(b)	Mr. Robert Stillman Associate Administrator for Investment Small Business Administration 409 3rd Street, S.W., Suite 6300 Washington, D.C. 20416	Concerning the application of the venture capital operating company exception of the "plan assets" regulation (29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101) to Small Business Investment Companies.
1995-03A 04/03/1995 3(1) 3(4) 3(40)	Ms. Térese M. Connerton Connerton, Ray & Simon 1920 L Street, N.W. Fourth Floor Washington, D.C. 20036-5004	Whether certain proposed changes to the American Federation of Government Employees Dental Trust Fund would cause the Fund to be considered an "employee welfare benefit plan" within the meaning of ERISA section 3(1), but not a "multiple employer welfare arrangement", as defined in ERISA section 3(40).
1995-02A 03/06/1995 3(33) 4(b)(2)	Ms. Melissa B. Rasman Dechert Price & Rhoads 4000 Bell Atlantic Tower 1717 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-2793	Whether the employee benefit arrangements of Jeanes Hospital, a medical care institution of the Religious Society of Friends, are “church plans” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(33) of and thus excluded from Title I coverage by ERISA section 4(b)(2).
1995-01A 02/13/1995 3(1)	Mr. Kenneth R. Hoffman Weinberg and Green 100 South Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2773	Whether The Pennsylvania Division, Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association Health Benefit Plan is an “employee welfare benefit plan” within the meaning of ERISA section 3(1).