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.

Data Dictionary

1995
AO/ Date/ Reference Recipient Description of Request
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).

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).

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).

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.

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).

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).

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.

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).

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).

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).