April 23, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Obtains Judgment Restoring Assets For Illinois Workers

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Chicago, Illinois - The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has obtained a consent judgment and order requiring the Clinic in Altgeld Inc. of Chicago to restore $67,997 to the company's 401(k) plan as restitution for delinquent employee contributions and loan payments that were not forwarded to the plan.

April 22, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Sues Minnesota Company, Executive for Withholding Employee IRA Contributions

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

April 20, 2004

"Workers Win" with Labor Department's New Overtime
Rules: FairPay Initiative Guarantees Overtime Rights for Millions of Workers

FairPay Initiative Guarantees Overtime Rights for Millions of Workers

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced the final regulations governing overtime eligibility for “white-collar” workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The regulations had not been substantially updated for over 50 years, creating confusion for workers and employers, generating wasteful class action litigation, and failing to effectively protect workers’ pay rights.

April 19, 2004

New York Court Orders Former Executives of Bennett Funding Group To Reimburse Retirement Plans

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

New York, New York - The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained an order from a federal court in Syracuse, New York, requiring the former principals of Bennett Funding Group Inc. to restore $2.66 million plus interest to the company’s pension, profit sharing and 401(k) plans.

April 19, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Sues Former President of Leasing Firm Over Mismanagement of Health Plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

April 13, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Sues Fiduciary of Michigan 401(k) Plan Over Misuse of Employee Pension Contributions

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Grand Rapids, Michigan - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the owner of Van-Kal Truck Equipment Inc. of Mattawan, Michigan, for failing to forward employee contributions to the company’s 401 (k) plan. The department also sued owner Steven P. Mullins to prevent him from discharging any debt owed to the plan.

April 12, 2004

Labor Department Sues Owner of Minnesota Company Over Delinquent Employee Contributions

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

Kansas City, Missouri - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the owner of Ver-Sa-Til Associates, Inc. in Chanhassen, Minnesota, for failing to timely forward employee contributions owed to the company’s profit sharing plan.

April 7, 2004

Employee Benefits Security Administration Issues Field Assistance Bulletin on Health Savings Accounts

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 released a Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) providing enforcement guidance to field investigators on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

April 5, 2004

Labor Department Sues Michigan Firms, Owner and Plan Trustee For Misusing 401(k) Plan Assets

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

Grand Rapids, Michigan - The U.S. Department of Labor sued Kalamazoo, Michigan-based companies Magic P.I. & Security, Inc., and Magic Civil Process, Inc., the companies’ owner and the 401(k) plan trustee of Magic P.I. for misusing $511,157 in plan assets.

April 5, 2004

Former President of Georgia Corporation Indicted For Embezzlement and Healthcare Fraud

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

March 31, 2004

Deputy Assistant Secretary Named for Employee Benefits Security Administration

WASHINGTON—The U. S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today announced the appointment of Bradford P. Campbell to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy.

Mr. Campbell directs the policy, legislative and research functions of the agency that administers the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). He serves as a liaison to other government agencies and the private sector on a variety of issues relating to ERISA.

March 31, 2004

Labor Department Resolves Lawsuit with Administrator of Maryland Health Plans

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

SILVER SPRING, Md.—The U. S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment permanently barring the president of SAI Plus in Rockville, Md., from serving as a fiduciary or doing business with any employee benefit plan governed by federal benefits law.

March 30, 2004

Labor Department Offers Employers Database of
Qualified College Students with Disabilities Who Seek Summer and Permanent Jobs

WASHINGTON—A free database that identifies almost 1,600 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who seek summer and permanent job openings is being made available to government and private sector employers.

March 29, 2004

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Rule
Requiring Government Contractors to Post Union Members' Rights

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor published final regulations today implementing Executive Order 13201, which requires government contractors and subcontractors to post notices informing their employees of their rights relating to union membership and the use of their union dues and fees.

“When everyone is informed of the law, workers, employers and unions all win,” said Victoria A. Lipnic, Assistant Secretary for Employment Standards. “We are charged with and committed to protecting workers and enforcing laws that guard their wages, their safety and their rights.”

March 29, 2004

Siemens Building Technologies Agrees to Pay
Employees $1.2 Million in Alleged Unpaid Overtime

SEATTLE—The U.S. Department of Labor announced today the filing of a consent judgment in which Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., of Bellevue agrees to pay 52 employees $1,204,203 in overtime back wages for alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

March 25, 2004

Pension Agency Extends Comment Period On Electronic Filing of Form 5500Annual 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) has extended to May 5, 2004 the deadline for providing comments on proposed changes to the ERISA Filing Acceptance System (EFAST).

March 25, 2004

Labor Department Sues Defunct Cleveland Company’s Trustee To Restore Employee Contributions to 401(k) Plan

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

Cleveland, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor sued the former trustee of the 401(k) plan of defunct White’s Information Systems, Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio, for failing to forward to the account contributions withheld from employees’ paychecks.

March 23, 2004

Former Employee of Florida Ironworkers Union Sentenced for Embezzling From Welfare Plan

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

March 23, 2004

Labor Department Obtains $4.875 Million Settlement for Plans Invested with Oregon Investment Manager

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

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor has filed settlement agreements providing for restitution of $4.875 million to 12 pension and welfare plans in California, Nevada and Utah that invested plan assets in risky private placement schemes with Capital Consultants LLC. The consent orders also require payment of $975,000 in civil penalties to the government.