U.S. Labor Department to sponsor free workshops, seminars in Portland, Oregon on federal pension and health laws

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Portland, Oregon – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will hold two half-day workshops on October 23 and three seminars on October 24 to help employers and plan administrators comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal law that governs private sector pension and health benefit plans for employees.

The events are free of charge and open to the public. They will take place in the federal building located at 911 NE 11th Avenue in Portland.

The October 23 workshops – to begin at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. PDT – will offer comprehensive information about EBSA’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (VFCP). Revisions to the VFCP, finalized during 2006, expanded and simplified the program in order to encourage pension plan managers and officials to comply with ERISA. The program also offers relief from Labor Department penalties and, in some cases, from Internal Revenue Service excise taxes that may otherwise be imposed. EBSA staff will be on hand to provide one-on-one program assistance and guidance regarding the VFCP application process.

On October 24, EBSA will offer three separate health benefit sessions to help employers understand their rights and obligations. A 10 a.m. PDT session will cover the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). The session at 1 p.m. PDT will cover the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). At 3 p.m. PDT, a final session will cover claims procedures. EBSA benefits advisors will be on site to address questions and provide materials.

“These free programs are effective components of the agency’s overall compliance efforts,” said Frank Clisham, EBSA’s regional administrator. “By helping plan administrators resolve issues before they escalate, we are helping both the employers and the employees.”

Availability is limited and pre-registration is recommended. Registration forms for both the VFCP workshops and health seminars can be downloaded at www.dol.gov/ebsa. Look for Portland events under “Compliance Assistance Seminars” and follow instructions for faxing completed forms to EBSA. For more information on the VFCP workshop, contact David Matheney at 415.625.2475 and for more information on the health seminars, contact Fara Goodwin at 206.553.4247, ext. 32.

U.S. Department of Labor news releases are accessible on the Department's Newsroom page. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202.693.7828 or TTY 202.693.7755. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit the Department's Compliance Assistance page.

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