Pension Bill (Still) Contains Some Welcome Relief, Controversy
July 21, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The late introduction of a substitute amendment for pension reform touched off a firestorm in the House Friday - but what was in...
Compliance
Court: SPD Must Include Domestic Partner Affidavit Requirement
July 21, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A retirement plan's summary plan description (SPD) violated ERISA disclosure requirements when it failed to divulge the need to file an affidavit for...
Judge: Employee Can't Sue For COBRA Non-Payment 'Distress'
July 18, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A woman who sued her employer for not keeping up her COBRA health insurance coverage even though she sent in the required payments...
Court: Insurer Can Rescind Coverage For Falsified Application
July 18, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - An employer-sponsored health plan administrator acted within its discretion when it rescinded the insurance of a plan participant who made material misrepresentations on...
IRS Gets Tough On ESOP S Corp Tax Evaders
July 18, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The proliferation of individuals attempting to skirt employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) S corporation income tax requirements has led to a temporary stopgap...
IRS to Sponsors: Stop Filing 5500 Fringe Benefit Plan Data
July 18, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a message for plan sponsors: Don't include any information on your Form 5500 about fringe benefit plans...
Portman-Cardin Goes To The House Floor
July 18, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The "ayes" had it in the US House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee voice vote to send the Pension Preservation and Savings...
EEOC Files Religious Discrimination Suit Against Airline
July 18, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against regional commuter airline Trans States Airlines, Inc. alleging the company discriminated...
Court: Company Stock 401(k) Investment May Have Been Fiduciary No-No
July 17, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Failing to disclose accurate information to participants putting 401(k) dollars in Williams Companies Inc.'s stock may equal a breach in fiduciary duties -...
EEOC: Feds Still Not Hiring Enough Disabled Workers
July 17, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Federal agencies may have made progress in employing a diverse workforce during FY 2002, but they still have a ways to go when...
House Panels Ditches Bush Pension Proposal
July 17, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Bush Administration's torch for pension interest rate reform has flickered out, as the US House of Representative's Ways and Means Committee will...
Court: Union Political Messages Not Allowed In Federal Buildings
July 16, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Union bulletin boards in post offices are not exempt from a federal law that bars political activity in government facilities.
IRS, Treasury Unveil "New" 401(k) Regs
July 16, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - In a move likely to (at least initially) engender heartburn on the part of plan sponsors and providers alike, today the Treasury Department...
ERISA Case For A Subset of Participant Losses Proceeds
July 15, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A participant's lawsuit against an employee savings plan's administrator for alleged losses affecting a subset of plan participants is allowed to proceed.
Lawmaker's Bill Would Offer Airline Pension Relief
July 15, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A Michigan lawmaker was expected to introduce pension relief legislation that would, among other things, put off for five years additional ERISA-required pension...
Court: State Domestic Partner Omission From Bereavement Policy Not Unconstitutional
July 14, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The failure to cover domestic partners in a state of Indiana funeral leave policy is not a violation of the state constitution.
Court: Employer Need Not Disclose ERISA Plan Changes To Possible Retirees
July 14, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A federal appeals court has determined that an employer does not have a fiduciary duty under ERISA to disclose retirement plan considerations when...
Appeals Court Affirms TWA Pension Plans' Termination
July 14, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A federal appeals court has upheld a move by the federal pension insurer to terminate the pension plans of Trans World Airlines
Court Allows Attorney To Pursue Wrongful Discharge Claims
July 14, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The former general counsel for Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group Ltd. has been allowed to sue for wrongful discharge after the company said such action...
Judge Green Lights Fiduciary Breach Suit
July 14, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Participants can sue a retirement savings plan for an ERISA fiduciary breach on behalf of only a portion of their fellow plan investors,...