Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.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 announced the launch of a new interactive Web site to serve as a resource for employers in complying with the various federal health benefit laws. The Health Benefits Advisor is designed to help employers and other plan officials understand their responsibilities in operating group health plans.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

San Francisco, California - A U.S. District Court judge has approved a default judgment against the trustees of the 401(k) plan of Promatis Corp., a defunct San Ramon, California-based company. The judgment clears the way for distribution of the plan’s assets to four eligible participants.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Washington, DC - The three working groups of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act

(ERISA) Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans will convene by teleconference October 20 to discuss reports and recommendations to be submitted to the Secretary of Labor.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced the funding of a $4.3 million project to oversee public and private efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in the cocoa sector.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Boston, Massachusetts - A Stoughton, Massachusetts dentist has restored more than $118,000 in misused assets to the profit sharing plan of the dental practice’s employees, according to a consent judgment and order obtained by the U.S. Department of Labor for alleged violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Kalamazoo, Michigan - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued M. Jack Fleming and Carol Fleming, trustees of the Merchants Publishing Co. Inc., for failing to forward employee contributions to the company’s 401(k) profit sharing plan, co-mingling plan contributions with the general operating assets of the company, and other violations of federal employee benefits law.

More than 2500 Minorities and Women Benefit from U.S. Labor Department Action

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced today that Tyson Foods Inc., headquartered in Springdale, Ark., has entered into six consent decrees to settle findings of hiring discrimination. More than 2500 women and minorities will receive a total of $1.5 million in back pay.

Form T-1 Improves Disclosure and Increases Union Transparency

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

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

Detroit, Michigan - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Detroit to appoint an independent trustee for the abandoned savings and investment plan of Michigan Pumping Service Inc., Trenton, Michigan. The company ceased doing business in 2003 after being sold to a new owner.

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

Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced a proposed rule to make it easier for fiduciaries of 401(k) plans and other participant-directed defined-contribution plans to adopt automatic enrollment design features. The proposed rule is the first major regulation resulting from the Pension Protection Act signed into law by President Bush on August 17, 2006.

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

Duluth, Minnesota - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the president of Arrowhead Equipment Company, Duluth, Minnesota, for failing to administer and terminate the company’s employee stock ownership plan so that assets could be distributed to plan participants.

WASHINGTON —U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced grants of nearly five million dollars for pilot projects and research to develop systems models designed to increase self-employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

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

Pierre, South Dakota - A free compliance assistance seminar focusing on laws that cover health benefits will take place October 18 and 19 in Pierre, South Dakota, at Kings Inn Hotel & Conference Center. The seminar is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) and the South Dakota Division of Insurance.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao has announced a grant of $500,000 to Syracuse University's Burton Blatt Institute: Centers of Innovation on Disability, to lead a national research consortium to study employer practices in employing, retaining and promoting people with disabilities.

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

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor released the final report of the 2006 National Summit on Retirement Savings. The report, entitled Saving for Your Golden Years: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities, represents the work of 200 summit delegates appointed by the president and congressional leaders.

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

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

Columbus, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued Team America Corporation, Columbus, Ohio and three individuals who served as fiduciaries to the company’s retirement savings, health and disability programs for failing to forward employee and employer contributions to the plans and to segregate plan contributions from the general operating assets of the company.

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

West Middlesex, Pennsylvania - The U.S Labor Department has sued Coast to Coast Home Equity Corp. to obtain appointment of an independent fiduciary to distribute the assets of the company’s 401(k) plan to plan participants. The defunct West Middlesex, Pennsylvania company is currently in bankruptcy and ceased operations in May 2004.