January 12, 2005

Labor Department Sues Chicago Metallurgical and Profit Sharing Plan Trustee For Failure to Make Employer Contributions to Plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Chicago, Illinois - The U.S. Department of Labor sued Chicago Spectro Service Laboratory and its profit sharing trustee for failing to remit $158,000 in employer contributions to the plan and misrepresenting to the plan’s participants that the contributions were made to their individual accounts.

January 11, 2005

Statement of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao On Energy Employees Occupational Injury Compensation Program Act

WASHINGTON—The Department of Labor is committed to helping the energy workers and families who have sacrificed for America 's freedom.

Four years ago, Congress passed the Energy Employees Occupational Injury Compensation Program Act. This program called EEOICPA compensates workers for the illnesses many suffered from working in Federal nuclear facilities. The Department of Labor took the lead in helping these workers and their families quickly.

January 11, 2005

Department of Labor Expedites 100 Claims
Under New Energy Workers Compensation Program

More than $1 Billion in Compensation and Medical Benefits Already Paid by Labor Department

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor is moving swiftly to pay claims and benefits under a program established by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act's (EEOICPA) new Part E passed by Congress last year. The department announced today that nearly 100 claims will be approved for payment and distributed within the next month.

January 5, 2005

Labor Department Sues to Distribute More Than $600,000 To Participants of Abandoned 401(k) Plan of Defunct Indianapolis Company

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Indianapolis, Indiana - The U.S. Department of Labor sued the former president of Segno Communications, Inc., Indianapolis, to obtain appointment of an independent fiduciary to terminate the defunct company’s 401(k) plan and distribute $618,463.36 in assets to the 51 remaining participants.

January 5, 2005

Court Rules Indiana Marketing Firm and Executives Must Restore Losses to Health Plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

January 5, 2005

Labor Department Sues to Appoint Independent Fiduciary For Abandoned Colorado 401(k) Plan

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

Denver, Colorado - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued to obtain the court appointment of an independent fiduciary to manage the abandoned 401(k) plan of Denver-based Maximum Team Moving Services Inc. and distribute the assets to 15 participants.

December 30, 2004

Bush Administration Announces Final Rules On Portability of Health Coverage

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

Washington, DC - Today final rules were issued under the 1996 law on health insurance portability that gives workers greater access to group health plan coverage. The rules were drafted by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury.

December 23, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Lawsuit Restores over $35,000 to Worcester Pension Plan

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

Boston, Massachusetts - A lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor against the plan sponsor and the trustee of the Northeast Display Inc. 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan of Worcester, Massachusetts, has resulted in the restoration of over $35,000 to the plan.

December 20, 2004

Owner of Central Michigan Trucking Company Sued To Recover Employee 401(k) Contributions

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

Detroit, Michigan - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the owner of Great Lakes Trucking Company, Inc., Perry, Michigan, to recover employee contributions that he failed to forward to the workers’ 401(k) plan.

December 20, 2004

Labor Department Publishes 2004 Form M-1 For Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements -- Online Filing Is Available

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

December 17, 2004

Department of Labor Announces Proposal for Online Process
To Provide Wage Determinations

New Website Detailed in Proposed Rulemaking Published Today

December 17, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Publishes Youth Employment Rules

Rules Become Effective in 60 Days

WASHINGTON—The Labor Department published today in the Federal Register final regulations implementing changes to employment rules for youth. The new rules expand protections for youth working in restaurant cooking, roofing, and driving, among other changes.

December 17, 2004

Employee Benefits Security Administration Releases Guidance on the Duties of a Directed Trustee

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 released Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2004-03 providing guidance to field investigators on the responsibilities of a directed trustee under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

December 16, 2004

Mental Health Parity Act Extended to December 31, 2005

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 a technical amendment extending the interim final rules under the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) to December 31, 2005.

December 15, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Obtains Court Order Reimbursing California Health Benefit Fund

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

December 10, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Sues President of Defunct Pennsylvania Company Over Delinquent 401(k) Contributions

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

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - The former president of defunct NLOCI Corporation in West Chester, Pennsylvania., was sued by the U.S. Department of Labor for failure to forward employee contributions to the company’s 401(k) plan. The department is seeking over $17,000 in missing employee contributions plus interest.

December 7, 2004

U.S. Labor Department Sues Dallas Company 401(k) Plan; Trustees To Restore Employee Contributions

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

Dallas, Texas - The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the trustees of Dallas-based C/A Communications, Inc. for failing to remit and forward employee contributions in a timely manner to the company’s 401(k) plan and for retaining the contributions with the general assets of the company.

December 6, 2004

U.S. Labor Secretary Addresses Challenges to Combating Human Trafficking at Conference on Trafficking in Persons in North America

Also Cites Progress Made Against This Terrible Form of Modern-Day Slavery

WASHINGTON—Speaking today at the Conference on Trafficking in Persons in North America, U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao outlined the international scope of human trafficking and the Department's efforts to combat it.

The evil of trafficking in human beings must be stopped, Chao said. The worldwide incidence of men, women and children being enslaved demands a vigorous and sustained international effort to rescue victims and protect future generations.

December 2, 2004

DOL Receives Eighth Consecutive Clean Audit of
Annual Financial Statements

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) received, for the eighth year in a row, an unqualified, or clean, opinion on its FY 2004 audited financial statements.

We take extremely seriously our responsibilities as stewards of taxpayers' dollars, said Chao. The Department's financial management excellence is an achievement we are very proud of.

December 1, 2004

GovBenefits.gov Helps Make Holidays Brighter for Those in Need

WASHINGTON — As the weather grows cooler, many greet the coming winter months with anticipation of family gatherings, good food and the exchange of gifts. For others, the winter can be particularly challenging, with higher heating costs, the need for warmer clothes and other financial pressures. For those in need of assistance, the GovBenefits.gov website provides a valuable service by identifying potential benefit options available to citizens.