March 29, 2005

U.S. Labor Department Obtains Settlement with Solon, Ohio, Auto Parts Company to Restore Funds to Workers’ Retirement Program

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Cincinnati, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a settlement requiring that $3,050,520 in pension assets be distributed to 702 participants of a 401(k) plan abandoned by Forest City Auto Parts Company, Solon, Ohio.

March 24, 2005

Labor Department Sues Trustee of Pennsylvania 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan for Imprudent Investments

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Scranton, Pennsylvania - The U.S. Department of Labor sued the trustee of the Kingston, Pennsylvania-based Penn Patio 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan for imprudently investing a substantial portion of the plan’s assets in speculative stock.

March 23, 2005

Labor Department Obtains $4.3 Million Settlement for Plans Invested With Oregon Investment Manager

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained settlement agreements providing for restitution of $4,312,063 to 10 pension and health plans in Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and Ohio that invested plan assets in risky private placement schemes with Capital Consultants, LLC. The consent orders also require payment of $862,413 in civil penalties to the government.

March 23, 2005

U.S. Department of Labor Sues Alabama Company and Executive For Misusing More Than $1 Million in Pension Assets

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Atlanta, Georgia - The U. S. Department of Labor has filed suit against H&H Doors and Hardware Inc., Dothan, Alabama, and its former vice president, for misusing $1,216,232 in assets from the company retirement plan.

March 21, 2005

Labor Department Sues to Appoint Independent Fiduciary For Abandoned New York 401(k) Plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

New York, New York - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued to obtain court appointment of an independent fiduciary to manage the abandoned 401(k) plan of Maksteel Inc. The suit also asks to distribute $44,020 to eligible participants and to terminate the plan.

March 21, 2005

Labor Department Sponsors Seattle Workshop On Federal Pension Law

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Seattle, Washington - The U.S. Department of Labor will hold a workshop April 18 at the Henry Jackson Federal Building to help employers and pension plan administrators comply with federal pension law.

March 17, 2005

U.S. Department of Labor Honors Eight Organizations For Creating
Opportunities in the Workplace

WASHINGTON-For their efforts to promote equal employment opportunity, eight companies and organizations were honored today by the U.S. Department of Labor at an annual awards ceremony hosted by the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Three types of awards-the Secretary of Labor's Opportunity Award, Exemplary Voluntary Efforts (EVE) Award, and Exemplary Public Interest Contribution Award-were presented to recognize innovative workplace programs and initiatives that increase equal employment opportunity for the American workforce.

March 17, 2005

Labor Department Restores More Than $11,000 to Defunct Charleston Company’s Health Plan

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

March 17, 2005

U.S. Labor Department Obtains Judgment Restoring Nearly $48,000 to Moore Communications 401(k) Plan

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

Portland, Oregon - The Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment restoring nearly $48,000 to the 401(k) profit sharing plan of now-closed Moore Communications, Beaverton, Oregon.

March 17, 2005

Labor Department Sues Corona Web Design Firm for 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 Corona-based WesTech Solutions Corp. and its president, Donald Cantral, to restore employee contributions not remitted to the company’s 401(k) plan.

March 16, 2005

Labor Department Offers Employers Database of Qualified College Students and Graduates Seeking Summer and Full-time Jobs

WASHINGTON—A free database that identifies 1,913 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who seek summer and fulltime employment is available for the tenth year to public and private sector employers to help them meet their staffing needs.

March 16, 2005

Statement of U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao On Passage of Association Health Plan Legislation in House of Representatives

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

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today released the following statement upon passage of Association Health Plan legislation in the House of Representatives:

March 11, 2005

Labor Department Names Clisham to Head Regional Pension and Health Benefits Office

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

San Francisco, California - Francis Clisham has been named regional director of the San Francisco Office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the U.S. Department of Labor announced today.

March 10, 2005

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Appoints 2005 ERISA Advisory Council and Leadership Posts

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

Washington, DC - Today Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced the appointment of five new members for the 2005 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans. The new members will serve three-year terms.

March 9, 2005

Labor Department Proposes Rules To Help Workers In Abandoned 401(k) Plans

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

Washington, DC - Each year approximately 1,650 401(k) plans holding $868 million in assets and covering 33,000 workers are abandoned. Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced proposed rules to allow financial institutions to take responsibility for these plans and distribute the plans’ assets to workers and their families.

March 1, 2005

Labor Department Releases 2004 Program Highlights
for The Office of Labor-Management Standards

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) today released its "2004 Program Highlights" annual report. This is the first annual report to be issued by OLMS since 1978 and highlights the fiscal year success of the agency and the importance of its role in supporting America's workforce.

March 1, 2005

Labor Department Testifies Before Senate Finance Committee On Administration’s Pension Reform Proposal

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

February 28, 2005

U.S. Labor Department Settlement Restores $12,500 To Florida Company’s 401(k) Plan

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

Atlanta, Georgia - The former chief executive officer and 401(k) plan trustee of defunct Innopet Brands Corporation, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, have agreed to restore $12,500 as restitution for their failure to forward employee contributions to the company’s 401(k).

February 28, 2005

U.S. Labor Department Seeks Independent Fiduciary For Abandoned New Jersey 401(k) Savings & Profit Sharing Plan

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

Newark, New Jersey - The U.S. Department of Labor filed a lawsuit to appoint an independent fiduciary for Paramus, New Jersey-based Medserv Corporation’s 401(k) Savings & Profit Sharing Plan after the plan was abandoned by its trustee. The independent fiduciary will terminate the plan and distribute the plan’s assets to participants.

February 24, 2005

The Department of Labor Announces EEOICPA Ombudsman Appointment

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the appointment of Donald G. Shalhoub as the first Ombudsman of the compensation program created by new Part E of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA).