UNIONTOWN, OH – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a default judgment requiring Markham Machine Co. Inc. and its owner to restore more than $134,000 to the company’s retirement plan after the company violated federal law.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration continued its work clarifying retirement investment options in defined contribution plans by issuing a new advisory opinion today. The opinion specifically addresses when lifetime income investment options can be considered qualified default investment alternatives under federal law. 

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration today announced its Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, which provides the American people with a transparent look at regulations being considered by the Administration and ensures the public is engaged throughout the process. 

Including nearly 150 proposals under the U.S. Department of Labor’s jurisdiction, the agenda reflects President Trump’s ongoing commitment to protect workers, support business growth, and ultimately put American workers and businesses first. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration has rescinded a Dec. 21, 2021, supplemental statement that discouraged fiduciaries from considering alternative assets in 401(k) retirement plan investment menus.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling released the following statements today applauding President Trump’s latest Executive Order, “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors.”

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Employee Benefits Security Administration is soliciting public input on how to help smaller employers that want to offer retirement benefits choose a high-quality, low-cost option known as a pooled employer plan. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced several programs designed to help employers, unions, and pension plans voluntarily assess and improve their compliance with federal labor laws.

The self-audit programs, which include new and updated offerings, aim to enhance worker protections while reducing the likelihood of formal investigation or litigation.  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of its opinion letter program. This expands the department’s longstanding commitment to providing meaningful compliance assistance that helps workers, employers and other stakeholders understand how federal labor laws apply in specific workplace situations. 

The program spans five key enforcement agencies within the department: 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration has rescinded a 2022 compliance release that previously discouraged fiduciaries from including cryptocurrency options in 401(k) retirement plans.

WASHINGTON – The departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury took action today to advance President Trump’s directive to ensure Americans have clear, accurate, and actionable information about healthcare prices. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S.

Date of action:           Dec. 12, 2024

Type of action:          Consent judgment

Employers:                 MSES Consultants Inc., Lawrence Rine

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Employee Benefits Security Administration has issued a proposed regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act on the valuation of employer stock acquired or sold by an employee stock ownership plan. 

PORTLAND, OR – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment requiring Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. and the R.B. Pamplin Corp. to restore at least $20,600,000 in assets to the company’s pension plan after the plan’s unlawful acquisition of company-owned real estate  jeopardized the retirement security of thousands of the company’s employees.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced an enforcement relief policy to provide retirement plan fiduciaries with an option to help manage small benefit amounts owed to individuals who cannot be located.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Employee Benefits Security Administration today announced updates to its Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, providing employers and other plan officials with more efficient ways to voluntarily correct compliance issues in retirement, health and other employee benefit plans. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the appointment of five new members and leadership for the 2025 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council.

The 15-member council provides advice on policies and regulations affecting employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor will hold its final meeting of the 2024 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council, on Dec. 12-13 at the department’s headquarters in Washington.

The meeting is open to the public and accessible online and via teleconference.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Employee Benefits Security Administration joined the IRS and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. in releasing informational copies of the 2024 Form 5500, Form 5500-SF, IRS Form 5500-EZ, IRS Form 5558 and related instructions online. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration today issued a notice requesting information from retirement plan administrators that will allow it to begin populating the Retirement Savings Lost and Found database, an online search tool to help America’s workers locate lost retirement savings they earned.