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Release Date: October 31, 2007
Release Number: 07-1696-SAN
Contact Name: Gloria Della/Richard Manning
Phone Number: 202.693.8664/202.693.4676

U.S. Labor Department extends annual reports deadline after wildfires hit California

San Francisco — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today announced an extension of the deadline for filing Form 5500 and Form 5500 EZ annual report/returns due to damages from wildfires in California.

President Bush has declared a major disaster in seven counties in the state of California due to the damage caused by wildfires. The extension applies to plan administrators, employers and other entities located in areas directly affected, as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The extension also applies to firms located outside the affected areas that are unable to obtain the necessary information from service providers, banks or insurance companies whose operations were directly affected by the fires.

Under this relief, Form 5500 series filings required to be filed between October 21, 2007, and January 31, 2008, are granted an extension until January 31, 2008. Plan filers entitled to an extension of relief should check Part I, Box D on the Form 5500 or Part I on Form 5500-EZ and attach a statement to the form in accordance with the instructions.

For more information about disaster relief, contact FEMA at 800.621.3362 or 202.621.FEMA (3362) or the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.gov. Filers who have additional questions may contact EBSA’s EFAST Helpline at 1.866.463.3278.

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