ERISA Advisory Council Archives

Washington, D.C. – The Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council, will hold a meeting Aug. 18-20 in Washington at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel at 415 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and end at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 and 19, with a one-hour break for lunch each day. On Aug. 20, the meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at approximately 12 p.m.

Open to the public, the purpose of the meeting is for Advisory Council members to hear testimony from invited witnesses and to receive an update from the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The EBSA update is scheduled for the morning of Aug. 20, but is subject to change.

The Advisory Council will study the following issues: Model Notices and Disclosures for Pension Risk Transfers; and Model Notices and Plan Sponsor Education on Lifetime Plan Participation. Descriptions of these issues are available online. Witnesses may testify on one or both issues on either Aug. 18 or 19. The third day of the meeting will be devoted to drafting reports on both issues.

Organizations or members of the public wishing to submit a written statement may do so by submitting 40 copies on or before Aug. 11, 2015 to Larry Good, Executive Secretary, ERISA Advisory Council, U.S. Department of Labor, Suite N-5623, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Statements may also be submitted as e-mail attachments in word processing or pdf format transmitted to good.larry@dol.gov. Statements should not include personally identifiable information (such as a name, address or other contact information) or confidential business information, as all statements are disclosed publicly.

Individuals and representatives of organizations wishing to address the council should also submit their requests to the executive secretary using the same information above or by calling 202-693-8668. Oral presentations will be limited to 10 minutes, time permitting, but an extended written statement may be submitted for the record. Those with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact the executive secretary by Aug. 11.

Section 512 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act provides for the establishment of the ERISA Advisory Council, which advises the secretary of labor and submits recommendations regarding the secretary’s functions under ERISA. More information about the council and the topics it will discuss at the meeting are available online.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is soliciting nominations to fill five, 3-year vacancies on the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council. The deadline to submit nominations is July 31.

The 15-member council provides advice on policies and regulations affecting employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The secretary of labor appoints members for staggered 3-year terms. Members represent specified groups or fields that are involved in employee benefits.

The council meets at least four times a year and makes recommendations to the secretary regarding functions carried out under ERISA. Participation in the council’s meetings and other work generally requires a commitment of 15 to 20 days per year.

EBSA will accept nominations to fill one vacancy in each of the following five fields:

Employee organizations
Employers
Investment counseling
Actuarial counseling
The general public

Interested individuals and organizations may nominate qualified candidates for membership.

Nominations should briefly describe the individual’s qualifications, and the group or field the candidate represents. Nominations should also include the nominee’s full name, work affiliation, mailing address, phone number and email address. The nomination should also state that, if offered, the candidate would accept the appointment to the ERISA council. Nominations must be submitted by letter, resolution or petition, and be signed by the person or, in the case of a nomination by an organization, by the group’s representative making the recommendation. Additionally, each nomination must include the nominating party’s full name, mailing address, phone number and email address.

Send nominations either by mail or email. Address mailed nominations to Larry Good, Executive Secretary, ERISA Advisory Council, Room N-5623, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. Alternatively, send nominations by email to good.larry@dol.gov. The nomination must be a separate attachment to the email.

To read the Federal Register Notice, visit https://federalregister.gov/a/2015-14781. Additional information about the council and the appointment process can be found on EBSA’s website at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/aboutebsa/erisa_advisory_council.html.