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Release Date: May 5, 2008
Release Number: 08-621-NAT
Contact Name: Gloria Della/Richard Manning
Phone Number: 202.693.8664202.693.4676

U.S. Labor Department team receives first annual citizen service award

Washington – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is the first place winner of the General Services Administration’s annual citizen service award in recognition of its exceptional customer service to the American public. The award was announced recently during the Interagency Resources Management Conference.

“This award demonstrates the positive impact that our program has on the lives of American workers and their families,” said Bradford P. Campbell, assistant secretary of labor for EBSA. “I am proud of the outstanding job done by our employees nationwide to assist workers in understanding their rights and responsibilities, and in obtaining retirement and health benefits that are improperly denied.”

EBSA’s Participant Assistance Program was recognized for its efforts to increase retirement and health benefit recoveries for citizens to $96 million in 2007 through informal complaint resolution. The program accomplishes its mission through public outreach events, publications, maintaining EBSA’s Web site and direct responses to more than 170,000 inquiries and complaints handled annually by 108 benefits advisors nationwide. The agency uses a multi-faceted approach to create public awareness of its program, including speaking at plant closings to dislocated workers about their options for continuing health benefits; conducting compliance seminars; and briefing Congressional, as well as federal and state agencies’ staff, about the services EBSA offers.

Last year, the program:

• Improved its customer satisfaction ratings and achieved “World Class Status,” a designation reserved by the Gallup Organization for the highest performers (within its 75 percentile).

• Reached more than 2.1 million unique visitors through its Web site.

• Conducted outreach to assist 19,001 dislocated workers.

• Developed 24 new and updated publications for employees and employers.

• Reaching EBSA to take advantage of its wide range of services is easy and free by calling the agency toll-free at 866.444.3272.

U.S. Department of Labor news releases are accessible on the Department's Newsroom page. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202.693.7828 or TTY 202.693.7755. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit the Department's Compliance Assistance page.