FEDERAL AGENCY:

PENSION AND WELFARE BENEFITS 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 PWBA is to protect the pension health care and other welfare benefits of American workers and their families. There are approximately 6.7 million employee benefit plans, which cover approximately 150 million people, including workers and retirees and their families. These plans control more than $3.5 trillion in assets. In administering its responsibilities under ERISA, PWBA: (1) Ensures that workers get the information they need to protect their benefit rights; (2) assists plan officials in understanding the requirements of the relevant laws in order for them to meet their legal responsibilities; (3) develops policies and regulations that encourage the growth of employment-based benefits; and (4) deters and seeks to correct violations of the relevant statutes through education, voluntary compliance, and civil and criminal enforcement actions.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Dissemination of Technical Information. Place Cursor Here for Definition

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

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.

Pre-application Coordination:   None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   Contact the nearest field office of the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. (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.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Not applicable.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Not applicable.

Audits:   Not applicable.

Records:   Not applicable.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   16-1700-0-1-601.

Obligations:   (Salaries and Expenses) FY 01 $98,934,000; FY 02 est $107,633,000; and FY 03 est Not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
Not applicable.

PWBA'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, PWBA conducts educational outreach workshops and participates in additional outreach conferences sponsored by professional organizations. Through its enforcement program, PWBA actions resulted in monetary recoveries to employee benefit plans of nearly $426 million in fiscal year 2001.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Copies of the final regulations, proposed regulations, and other directives are available from the national office or on PWBA's website at www.dol.gov/dol/pwba. Certain audio-visual material also are available for hearing-impaired audiences. PWBA publishes a variety of free publications directed to employers and participants which can be obtained from its website and its publication hotline at 1-800-998-7542.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Persons desiring assistance should contact the nearest Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration field office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office:   Benefits Advisors Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N5623, Washington, District of Columbia 20210 Phone: 1-866-444-3272

Web Site Address:  
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Not applicable.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Not applicable.