Department of Labor August 10, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule is a companion to the Department of Labor/ Employee Benefits Security Administration's (Department) direct final rule (published today in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of the Federal Register) amending the Department's civil penalty regulation under section 502(c)(7) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act) to reflect recent amendments to section 502(c)(7) by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. These amendments authorize the Secretary of Labor to assess civil penalties not to exceed $100 per day for each violation of section 101(m) of ERISA. Section 101(m) of ERISA requires plan administrators of individual account plans to notify participants and beneficiaries of their right to sell the company stock in their accounts and reinvest the proceeds into other investments available under the plan. The Department is publishing these amendments as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Department views them as highly technical and anticipates no significant adverse comment. The Department has explained its reasons in the preamble to the direct final rule. If the Department receives no significant adverse comment during the comment period, no further action on this proposed rule will be taken. However, if the Department receives significant adverse comment, the Department will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. In that case, the Department will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. The Department will not institute a second comment period on this rule. Any parties interested in commenting must do so during this comment period.