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| 17.150 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SECURITY ADMINISTRATION |
| (EBSA) |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, Public Law 93-406, 29 U.S.C. 1001 note. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| The primary mission of EBSA is to protect the pension health and other benefits of American workers and their families. EBSA is committed to educating and assisting the 150 million Americans covered by more than 683,000 private retirement plans, 2.5 million health plans, and similar numbers of other welfare benefit plans, as well as, plan sponsors and members of the employee benefits community. EBSA promotes voluntary compliance and facilitates self-regulation, working diligently to provide quality assistance to plan participants and beneficiaries. It is the policy of EBSA to provide the highest quality of service to stakeholders and the regulated community. EBSA carries out its mission by: (1) deterring and correcting violations of ERISA; (2) helping plan officials understand and comply with the legal requirements of ERISA; (3)educating workers on their benefit rights; and, (4) developing policies that encourage the growth of employment-based benefits. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Dissemination of Technical Information. |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| Plan professionals, participants and beneficiaries of employee pension, health care and welfare benefit plans obtain information about the legal requirements for plan administration, plan provisions, financial operations or how to obtain a benefit. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| Plan administrators, trustees, participants, beneficiaries of employee benefit plans, or others involved in plan administration may obtain assistance in complying with the Act. Interested persons may obtain certain plan documents which are required to be filed by plan administrators. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| Plan officials, trustees, participants, beneficiaries of employee benefit plans, or others involved in plan administration. |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| None. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. |
| Application Procedure |
| Contact the nearest field office of the Employee Benefits Security Administration listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog, EBSA's web site at www.dol.gov/ebsa or EBSA's hotline at (1 866) 444-EBSA (3272). (Participants and beneficiaries should first contact their plan administrator for plan information.) |
| Award Procedure |
| Not applicable. |
| Deadlines |
| None. |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| Not applicable. |
| Appeals |
| Not applicable. |
| Renewals |
| Not applicable. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| Not applicable. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| Not applicable. |
| Reports |
| Not applicable. |
| Audits |
| Not applicable. |
| Records |
| Not applicable. |
| Account Identification |
| 16-1700-0-1-601. |
| Obligations |
| (Salaries and Expenses) FY 07 $134,509; FY 08 $143,000; and FY 09 est not reported. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| Not applicable. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| EBSA is proactive in its efforts to enhance pension and health benefits security. In this regard, EBSA's customer service staff provides assistance to approximately 150,000 participants, employers and plan administrators each year. The nature of assistance ranges from receiving information brochures, booklets and/or regulations to individualized assistance relative to a specific problem along with information on how the law applies, sometimes resulting in a direct or indirect recovery of an appropriate benefit. As part of its technical assistance program, EBSA conducts educational outreach workshops and participates in additional outreach conferences sponsored by professional organizations. Additionally, through its enforcement program, EBSA actions resulted in monetary recoveries to employee benefit plans of approximately $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2007. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| Copies of the final regulations, proposed regulations, and other directives are available from the national office or on EBSA's website at www.dol.gov/ebsa. Certain audio-visual material also are available for hearing-impaired audiences. EBSA publishes a variety of free publications directed to employers and participants which can be obtained from its website and its publication hotline at (1 866) 444-EBSA (3272). |
| Regional or Local Office |
| Persons desiring assistance should contact the nearest Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration field office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. |
| Headquarters Office |
| Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N5623, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-8666. Contact Gloria Della. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://www.dol.gov/ebsa |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| None. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| Not applicable. |
| CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS |
| Not applicable. |
|
General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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