May Organizational Meetings Scheduled For New Erisa Advisory Council Working Groups

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

The three new working groups formed by the Advisory Committee on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefits will hold meetings at the U.S. Department of Labor on May 8 and 9, 2000. All working group meetings will take place in Conference Room N-5437 A-D at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building at 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210.

Carl T. Camden of Troy, Mich., executive vice president of field operations, sales and marketing for Kelly Services, Inc., representing corporate trust, will chair the new working group on benefit implications of phased retirement. His vice chair will be Richard Tani of Chicago, retired from William M. Mercer who represents the general public. Their committee’s organizational meeting will take place on Monday, May 8, from 9:30 a.m. to approximately noon to define its study scope and begin taking testimony on the topic.

The new working group on long-term care: issues and solutions will convene at 1:00 p.m. on May 8, under the chairmanship of Michael J. Stapley of Salt Lake City, Utah, president and chief executive officer of Deseret Mutual Benefit Association, who represents the insurance field; and vice chair Patrick N. McTeague of Topsham, Me., founding partner of McTeague, Higbee, MacAdam, Watson and Cohen, representing the general public.

The third new study group, tackling the issue of benefit continuity after a business transaction (most typically company mergers/acquisitions) will be headed by Rebecca J. Miller, partner of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP of Rochester, Minn., representing the accounting profession. Janie Greenwood Harris, trust counsel for FIRSTAR Corporation, Inc., of St. Louis, Mo., one of the three employer organization representatives, will serve as vice chair. Its organizational meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 9, and run until approximately noon.

Persons wishing to appear before any of the new study groups on either May 8 or 9 or wishing to submit written statements on this year’s topics may contact Sharon Morrissey, executive secretary of the Advisory Council, at Room N-5656, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210. Her direct telephone number is (202) 219-8921. If written statements are to be provided, 20 copies must be sent to Ms. Morrissey before May 1.

The ERISA Advisory Council is comprised of 15 members from statutorily-specified subject areas in employee benefits and related fields. Members, who serve staggered three-year terms, have an explicit charter to provide the Labor Secretary with policy recommendations and reports relating to private pension and other employee benefit issues. The advisory committee to the Secretary of Labor and known more broadly as the ERISA Advisory Council, was established by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

This year’s working groups expect to have their studies and subsequent reports and/or recommendations completed by the already-scheduled final meeting of the year on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2000.

Persons with disabilities wishing to attend the session and needing special accommodations can also contact Ms. Morrissey by March 28.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 202.693.7775.

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