WASHINGTON — For their efforts to promote equal employment opportunity, six companies and organizations were recognized today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) at an annual awards ceremony hosted by Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

WASHINGTON — The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently established an alliance to encourage and promote the employment of people with disabilities.

The formal alliance, a first for ODEP with a major organization, will ensure that SHRM and ODEP stakeholders collaborate in this national effort by providing information, guidance, and access to resources.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Milwaukee - “Getting It Right – Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities,” a compliance assistance seminar sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), will take place in Brookfield, Wisconsin, November 8 at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield, 375 South Moorland Road.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Philadelphia - “Why Go Broke? – Retirement Planning for the 21^st Century Worker” will take place November 15 and 16 to give Philadelphia-area workers and families the opportunity to discuss retirement-related questions with federal government experts and plan for a secure retirement.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Atlanta - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued a District of Columbia lawyer for his participation in the improper transfer of the assets of two pension plans sponsored by bankrupt SCT Yarns Inc. headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced adoption of a final class exemption expanding the opportunities for securities lending between employee benefit pension plans, banks and broker-dealers.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Springfield, Massachusetts - The U.S. Department of Labor has petitioned the federal bankruptcy court in Springfield to release 401(k) plan contributions withheld from the paychecks of employees of bankrupt N&B Express Inc. from the company’s bankruptcy estate.

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

Lansing, Michigan - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Allen Christian and Peggy Christian, officers of Omnitec Architectural Specialties, Inc., Lansing, Michigan, for failing to forward employee contributions to the company’s pension plan and to segregate the plan contributions from the general operating assets of the company.

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) profit sharing plan of the Mineola, New York-based Hagedorn Actuarial Services Inc. The suit also seeks to distribute more than $48,000 in plan assets to eligible participants and beneficiaries.

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

Washington - The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) today released Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2006-02 that provides guidance to field investigators on recurring questions about the guidance in FAB 2004-1 and evolving practices regarding the offering of health savings accounts (HSAs) in the workplace.

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

St. Louis, Missouri - The U.S. Department of Labor will host a free employer workshop called “Understanding Your Responsibilities under ERISA and USERRA” on November 29 at the Robert A. Young Federal Building, 1222 Spruce Street, Room 2.206 (Auditorium) in St. Louis.

Baseball Great Dave Dravecky Honored for Community Leadership

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao praised the nine winners of the Secretary of Labor's 5th Anniversary New Freedom Initiative Award for their outstanding efforts to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The awards ceremony took place today at the Washington Renaissance Hotel.

Baseball Great Dave Dravecky Honored for Community Leadership

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao praised the nine winners of the Secretary of Labor's 5th Anniversary New Freedom Initiative Award for their outstanding efforts to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The awards ceremony took place today at the Washington Renaissance Hotel.

SHARE has significantly reduced total injuries, illnesses and fatalities

WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush has extended for three years the federal government's initiative to reduce occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities within its ranks.

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

Akron, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the owner of Truax Restoration Services, located in Akron, Ohio, for failing to forward employees’ voluntary contributions to the company’s 401(k) plan and to segregate the plan contributions from the company’s general assets.

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

San Francisco, California - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit in federal district court in San Francisco seeking the appointment of an independent trustee to manage the abandoned retirement plan of NetActive Corp., formerly of San Francisco. The trustee would terminate the plan and distribute its assets to eligible participants.

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

Chicago, Illinois - The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a settlement requiring restoration of assets to the BGB Network Inc. Safe Harbor 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and permanently barring former trustees of the plan, based in Broadview, Illinois, from service to employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in the future.

Two Sub-Contractors of RSIG Inc. Owe more than $663,000 in Back Wages

DETROIT — Two sub-contractors of RSIG Inc. a Southfield, Mich., security company, have agreed to pay $663,813 in overtime back wages to 716 Detroit area security guards following investigations by the U.S. Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division.

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

New York, New York - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the fiduciaries of the Agway Inc. 401(k) plan, in DeWitt, New York, for imprudently investing approximately $50 million of the plan’s assets in the securities of the company, valuing the stock at prices higher than market value, and giving participants false information about the investment.