September 26, 2006

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces Proposed Rule on Default Investment Alternatives for Participant-Directed Plans - First Pension Law Regulation Would Boost 401(k)s

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced a proposed rule to make it easier for fiduciaries of 401(k) plans and other participant-directed defined-contribution plans to adopt automatic enrollment design features. The proposed rule is the first major regulation resulting from the Pension Protection Act signed into law by President Bush on August 17, 2006.

September 25, 2006

Labor Department Sues Officer of Duluth, Minnesota Business For Failing to Administer Retirement Plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Duluth, Minnesota - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the president of Arrowhead Equipment Company, Duluth, Minnesota, for failing to administer and terminate the company’s employee stock ownership plan so that assets could be distributed to plan participants.

September 21, 2006

Free Health Law Compliance Seminar October 18 and 19 in Pierre, South Dakota

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Pierre, South Dakota - A free compliance assistance seminar focusing on laws that cover health benefits will take place October 18 and 19 in Pierre, South Dakota, at Kings Inn Hotel & Conference Center. The seminar is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the South Dakota Division of Insurance.

September 20, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Action To Restore More Than $1 Million in Retirement Funds for Congers, New York Companies’ Employees

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

September 20, 2006

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Releases 2006 National Saver Summit Report

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor released the final report of the 2006 National Summit on Retirement Savings. The report, entitled Saving for Your Golden Years: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities, represents the work of 200 summit delegates appointed by the president and congressional leaders.

September 18, 2006

Labor Department Sues Columbus, Ohio Business and Officers To Restore Delinquent Contributions to Company’s Retirement Savings Plans

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

Columbus, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Team America Corporation, Columbus, Ohio and three individuals who served as fiduciaries to the company’s retirement savings, health and disability programs for failing to forward employee and employer contributions to the plans and to segregate plan contributions from the general operating assets of the company.

September 14, 2006

U.S. Department of Labor Sues Defunct West Middlesex, Pennsylvania Company to Protect 401(k) Participants

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

West Middlesex, Pennsylvania - The U.S Labor Department has sued Coast to Coast Home Equity Corp. to obtain appointment of an independent fiduciary to distribute the assets of the company’s 401(k) plan to plan participants. The defunct West Middlesex, Pennsylvania company is currently in bankruptcy and ceased operations in May 2004.

September 13, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Sues Virginia Company For Pension Plan Violations

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

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - The U.S. Department of Labor sued Javis Automation & Engineering, Inc., Dumfries, Virginia, and its president, John W. Long, Sr., for failure to remit contributions deducted from employees’ paychecks to the company’s 401(k) profit sharing plan.

September 13, 2006

U.S. Department of Labor Files Suit Against Burlington, New Jersey Towing Company To Protect 401(k) Plan Participants

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

Burlington, New Jersey - The U.S. Labor Department sued Russell Johnson and Shellene Barker, trustees of the Johnson Specialized Transportation, Inc. 401(k) Plan, for allegedly failing to forward more than $36,000 in employee and matching employer plan contributions plus lost opportunity costs to the plan.

September 13, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Gets Court Order Restoring Assets To Former Hebron, Kentucky 401(k) Plan

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

Covington, Kentucky - The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment requiring Mitchell Molding Company Inc., Hebron, Kentucky, and its bankrupt former owner to restore delinquent employee contributions to the company’s 401(k) plan.

September 8, 2006

Labor Department Sues Officers of Sherburn, Minnesota, Business For Failing to Properly Administer Retirement Plan

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

Sherburn, Minnesota - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the officers of D&J Transfer Company, Sherburn, Minnesota, for failing to administer and terminate the company’s employee retirement plan so that assets could be distributed to plan participants.

September 8, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Seeks Comments on Independence Guidelines for Employee Benefit Plan Accountants

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

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today announced publication of a “request for information” (RFI) to assist the department in updating its guidance on the independence of accountants who audit employee benefit plans. The RFI is to be published in the September 11, 2006 Federal Register.

September 7, 2006

Labor Department Sues Owners of San Luis Obispo Firms to Protect Employees’ 401(k) Funds

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

San Francisco, California - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued John S. and Louise S. Villa, the owners of Villa Automotive and Villa Service Center of San Luis Obispo, California, for failing to forward employee contributions to the Villa Automotive 401(k) employee pension benefit plan. The defendants are the trustees of the 401(k) plan.

September 7, 2006

U.S. Department of Labor Announces $12 Million Settlement with the Estate of Kenneth L. Lay

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

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an agreement with the estate of Kenneth L. Lay granting a $12 million claim against his estate on behalf of participants covered by Enron's pension plans. Lay died on July 5, 2006. This proposed settlement must be formally documented and submitted for approval to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

September 7, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Obtains Judgment Restoring More Than $150,000 to Denver Profit Sharing Plan

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

Denver, Colorado - The former owners of Vancol Industries Inc. of Denver must pay more than $150,000 to the company’s profit sharing plan as restitution for improper loans made from the plan to the company’s owners, plan participants and affiliated companies, according to a consent judgment obtained by the U.S. Department of Labor.

September 7, 2006

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Releases 2006 National Saver Summit Report

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

Washington - The U.S. Department of Labor today released the final report of the 2006 National Summit on Retirement Savings. The report, entitled “Saving for Your Golden Years: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities,” represents the work of 200 summit delegates appointed by the president and congressional leaders.

September 5, 2006

Labor Department Requests Proposals for EFAST2 Project

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

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today announced the release of a request-for-proposal (RFP) to support a new mandate on electronic filing of the Form 5500 Series reports required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The RFP was published online by Federal Business Opportunities on September 1, 2006.

September 1, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Sues to Restore Contributions and Lost Earnings to Former Lexington, Kentucky, Company’s SIMPLE IRA Plan

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

Lexington, Kentucky - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the former owner of the Pearce-Phelps Roofing Co., Lexington, Kentucky, to recover delayed and missing employee contributions plus any lost earnings for the company’s SIMPLE IRA employee benefit plan.

August 30, 2006

U. S. Labor Department Gives Filers Affected By Hurricane Katrina Additional Extension of Deadline to File Annual Reports

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

Washington, DC - The U. S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is providing an extension of the deadline for filing Form 5500 series annual returns/reports to October 16, 2006 to filers affected by Hurricane Katrina. This additional reporting relief is being granted to filers in 31 parishes in Louisiana, 48 counties in Mississippi, and 11 counties in Alabama.

August 29, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Offers Free Seminar in New York City to Help Professionals Comply With Employee Benefits Law

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

New York, New York - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in New York City will hold a free seminar to assist employers, pension plan administrators and other benefit professionals comply with federal employee benefits law. The seminar will take place September 29, 2006 at the Broad Financial Center, 33 Whitehall Street, 11th Floor Conference Room.