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Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today launched a Web site
providing contact information on employee benefit plan sponsors whose
operations have been disrupted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Employers
who sponsor benefit plans are being encouraged to update their contact
information with the department if it has changed. This information will
allow employees, plan participants and their families, as well as the many
other support organizations assisting victims of the hurricanes, to reach
plan administrators with questions and information related to their
retirement and health benefits.
“Lack of contact information can result in
participants not receiving retirement checks, knowing where to send
premium payments for their health benefits, how to reach plan
administrators for needed services or how to find general information
about the status of their employment or benefits,” said Ann L. Combs,
assistant secretary of labor for employee benefits security. “This site
will allow participants, their families and others to reach the
administrators of those plans with their questions.”
The Web site includes a searchable data base that lists
pre-hurricane contact information garnered from the Form 5500 Annual
Reports filed previously by all employee benefit plans located in the
affected disaster areas. Plan sponsors are being asked to contact the
department to verify existing information or provide updated contact
information—including post-hurricane address and phone number—that
will be entered into this data base for public use.
Employers/plan sponsors who wish to update or correct
their contact information included on this site may do so by calling toll
free 1.866.444.EBSA (3272) or by submitting a Verification of Contact
Information Form found on the Web site.
Employees/plan participants who need to locate their
employer/plan sponsor may search the data base at www.dol.gov/ebsa or
contact one of our benefits advisors for assistance at 1.866.444.EBSA
(3272). The benefits advisors can retrieve information for those who do
not have access to a computer, and are available to answer questions
related to benefits issues. |
