U.S. Labor Department to hold July 8 workshop in Van Nuys, California, on complying with federal pension and health law

San Francisco – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will hold a free workshop July 8 at the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys, California, to help employers and health and pension plan administrators better understand and comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal law that governs private sector pension and health benefit plans for employees.

The half-day workshop will offer comprehensive information and one-on-one help about the department’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (VFCP). The program is designed to provide employers and plan administrators with an opportunity to identify and self-correct plan activities that might otherwise incur investigative or enforcement action.

“The VFCP is an effective strategy in protecting the pension benefits of America’s workers,” said Crisanta Johnson, regional director of EBSA’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “Through this voluntary program, EBSA offers employers the opportunity to correct violations of ERISA before any enforcement actions are taken.”

Participants in the VFCP must fully correct the violations, calculate any losses and restore those losses with interest or profits, and distribute any supplemental benefits owed to eligible participants and beneficiaries. The program also offers relief from Labor Department penalties and Internal Revenue Service excise taxes that might otherwise be imposed.

The Airtel Plaza Hotel is located in Van Nuys at 7277 Valjean Avenue. The workshop will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon (PDT). EBSA staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide one-on-one program assistance. The workshop is open to employers, accountants, plan fiduciaries, third party administrators, attorneys and anyone else with concerns about their responsibilities administering pension plans.

To RSVP for the workshop or for more information on the VFCP, the public should e-mail vfcp-laro@dol.gov or contact Wendy Morgan at 626.229.1040. For additional information about private employer health and pension plans, call EBSA’s Los Angeles Regional Office at 626.229.1000 or visit the agency’s Web site at www.dol.gov/ebsa.

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 (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202.693.7828 or TTY 202.693.7755. The Labor Department 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.