Labor Department's Advisory Committee On Negotiated Rulemaking To Hold December Meetings

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Negotiated Rulemaking will hold public meetings on December 16 and 17 at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service at 2100 K St., N. W., Room 200, in Washington, D.C. The committee will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The advisory committee was created by the department’s Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration to develop a proposed rule that would establish criteria and a process for determining when an employee benefit plan is either established or maintained by a collective bargaining agreement. The first meeting of the committee was held in October at the Labor Department.

At the December meetings, the committee will discuss key issues pertaining to guidance needed to develop and implement sec. 3(40) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ERISA). This section of ERISA mandates that employee benefit plans that establish or maintain benefits for employees of more than one employer — multiple employer welfare arrangements or MEWAs — are subject to state insurance regulation unless they meet certain exceptions. These exceptions are only applicable to plans that offer collective bargaining agreements.

The department has determined that it is necessary to distinguish organizations that provide benefits through collectively bargained employee representation from organizations that are primarily MEWAs.

Interested parties are invited to attend this public meeting, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals with disabilities who wish to attend and require special accommodations should contact, at least four business days prior to the meeting, Patricia

Arzuaga, Office of the Solicitor, Plan Benefits Security Division, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-4611, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D. C., or call (202) 219-4600., ex. 153.

Individuals or organizations wishing to address the committee should forward their request to Ms. Arzuaga at the above address. Members of the public may also file a written statement by submitting 15 copies to Ms. Arzuaga before December 11.

Minutes of all public meetings and other documents of the committee will be available in Public Documents Room, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-5638, 200 Constitution Ave., N. W., Washington. D.C. Any written comments on the minutes should be directed to the ERISA 3(40) Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee.

Notice of this meeting is published in the Nov. 23 Federal Register.

U.S. Department of Labor news releases are accessible on the Internet. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the Central Office for Assistive Services and Technology. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202.693.7773 or TTY 202.693.7755.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Contact Name: Rita Ford
Phone Number: 202.219.8922