The Federal Register

Reasonable Contract or Arrangement Under Section 408(b)(2)--Fee Disclosure

Thu, Dec 13 2007 11:00:00 GMT

This document contains a proposed regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) that, upon adoption, would require that contracts and arrangements between employee benefit plans and certain providers of services to such plans include provisions that will ensure the disclosure of information to assist plan fiduciaries in assessing the reasonableness of the compensation or fees paid for services that are rendered to the plan and the potential for conflicts of interest that may affect a service provider's performance of services. The proposed regulation will redefine what constitutes a ``reasonable contract or arrangement'' for purposes of the statutory exemption from certain prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA. The regulation, upon adoption, will affect employee benefit plan sponsors and fiduciaries and the service providers to such plans.

Proposed Class Exemption for Plan Fiduciaries When Plan Service Arrangements Fail To Comply With ERISA Section

Thu, Dec 13 2007 11:00:00 GMT

This document contains a notice of pendency before the Department of Labor (the Department) of a proposed class exemption from certain prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (the Act or ERISA). If granted, the proposed exemption would relieve a plan fiduciary from engaging in a transaction that constitutes a prohibited furnishing of services to an employee benefit plan. The exemption would apply to a plan fiduciary who enters into (or extends or renews) a written contract or arrangement for the provision of services to an employee benefit plan by a service provider to the plan when the resulting contract or arrangement between the plan and the service provider fails to constitute a ``reasonable contract or arrangement'' due to the service provider's failure to comply with its contractual obligation to disclose certain information as required by 29 CFR Sec. 2550.408b 2(c)(1), as amended (``disclosure obligations''). The proposed exemption, if

Apprenticeship Programs, Labor Standards for Registration, Amendment of Regulations

Thu, Dec 13 2007 11:00:00 GMT

The Department of Labor (DOL or Department) is issuing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update the regulations that implement the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937. 29 U.S.C. 50. On February 18, 1977, the Department promulgated 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 29 to establish, for certain Federal purposes, labor standards, policies and procedures for the registration, cancellation and deregistration of apprenticeship programs, and apprenticeship agreements. Part 29 also provided for the recognition of a State Apprenticeship Agency as an agency authorized to register local apprenticeship programs for Federal purposes, and for the revocation of such recognition. In the succeeding 30 years, the American economy and workforce have changed significantly. The proposed rule addresses those changes by both making the procedures for apprenticeship program registration more flexible and by strengthening oversight of program performance. The proposed rule also updates part 29 to incorp

The Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO); Notice of Open Meeting

Thu, Dec 13 2007 11:00:00 GMT

The Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO) was established pursuant to Title II of the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006 (P.L. 109233) and Section 9 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (P.L. 92462, Title 5 U.S.C. app.II). The ACVETEO's authority is codified in Title 38 U.S. Code, Section 4110.

The ACVETEO is responsible for assessing employment and training needs of veterans; determining the extent to which the programs and activities of the Department of Labor meets these needs; and assisting in carrying out outreach to employers seeking to hire veterans.

The Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training and Employer Outreach will meet on Monday, February 11th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesday, February 12th from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, 3203 Quebec Street, Denver, Colorado 80207.

The committee will discuss programs assisting veterans seeking employment with speci