US Labor Department extends comment period on proposed rules on filings required by multiple employer welfare arrangements

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced a two-week extension of the comment period on its proposed rule requiring multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs) to register with the department.

Interested parties now have until March 19, 2012, to submit comments on the proposed rule via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov, or by mail, hand or electronic delivery to the agency at E-OHPSCAMEWARegistration.EBSA@dol.gov.

Under the proposed rule, MEWAs must register prior to operating in a state or be subject to substantial penalties. This filing requirement will allow the department to track MEWAs as they move from state to state and to identify their principals which will provide the department with important information regarding potentially fraudulent arrangements. Complete details on all provisions were published in the Dec. 6, 2011, Federal Register and also are available at www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform/.

Those who have already submitted comments or plan to submit comments should note that there was an error in the preamble published in the Federal Register (76 FR 76222) that incorrectly listed the EBSA email address. The incorrect email address was activated to accept messages. However, comments sent electronically prior to February 22, 2012, should be resent to the correct email address above to ensure they are received and given due consideration. Comments that were submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, or by mail or hand delivery were not impacted by the error.

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille, audio tape or disc from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.