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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.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

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 6, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Issues Fifth Annual Report on Child Labor
In Trade Beneficiary Countries

Report Required Under the Trade and Development Act

WASHINGTON — The Labor Department today released its fifth annual report on the worst forms of child labor in 137 countries and territories that receive U.S. trade benefits.

September 6, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Announces New Credential for Workforce Development Professionals Who Work with Youth

WASHINGTON — Preparing America's youth, including those with disabilities, for today's job market is an important task. Unfortunately, workforce development professionals have not always had access to the proper training they need to help youth to succeed. But in the 21st century, that is changing thanks to innovations funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

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 Sues Houston Drywall Firm to Recover over $500,000 in Back Wages for Employees Working on Mississippi Gulf Coast

HOUSTON — The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has sued Benitez Drywall LLC, a Houston-based drywall company, and its owners for alleged violations of the overtime and recordkeeping provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division following an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division (WHD). Back wages are expected to exceed $500,000 for more than 500 construction workers.

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.

August 28, 2006

Labor Department Sponsors Free Salt Lake City Workshops on Federal Employee Benefits Law

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

Salt Lake City, Utah - The U.S. Department of Labor will hold free workshops September12 to help employers and pension plan administrators better comply with federal employee benefits law. The workshops will be held at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 South State Street.

August 24, 2006

Labor Department Solicits Nominations for 2007 ERISA Advisory Council

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

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor is soliciting nominations to fill five three-year vacancies on the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, known as the ERISA Advisory Council. The deadline for receipt of nominations is October 1, 2006.

August 23, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Sues to Appoint Trustee for Abandoned San Jose 401(k) Plan

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

San Francisco, California - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in San Jose seeking the appointment of an independent trustee to manage the abandoned 401(k) plan of Silicon Valley Research, Inc., and distribute more than $900,000 in assets to 28 participants.

August 22, 2006

Labor Department Sues Officer of Macedonia, Ohio Business For Failing to Properly Administer 401(k) Plan

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

Macedonia, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the former president of now-defunct D.L. French Company Inc., Macedonia, Ohio, for failing to administer the company’s 401(k) profit sharing plan so that assets could be distributed to plan participants.

August 22, 2006

U.S. Labor Department Sues to Appoint Independent Fiduciary for Retirement Plan Abandoned by Johnson City, New York Company

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

Syracuse, New York - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit asking the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York to appoint an independent fiduciary to oversee the abandoned Azon Employees Retirement Plan.

August 22, 2006

Labor Department Obtains Judgment Providing for Distribution of 401(k) Assets to Employees of Defunct Alameda Firm

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

San Francisco, California - The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a judgment appointing an independent fiduciary to distribute more than $149,500 in assets to 19 participants of the 401(k) plan of defunct Alameda, California-based RadixOne. The technology firm, formerly known as ReSolutions Group, closed in 2003.