Learn to navigate SPD regulations, improve employee communication, ensure compliance, and avoid costly legal issues in your organization.
This program will assist you to follow the SPD regulations to avoid legal liability for your plan and organization and provide better communication with your employees and beneficiaries. The ERISA requirement for distribution of a Summary Plan Description (SPD) may be dismissed as a regulatory, legal requirement, similar to legal disclaimers that we ignore every day in all facets of daily life. However, the SPD is intended to be a communication describing eligibility and benefits requirements to your employees and beneficiaries in layman's or common language. It should be viewed as an opportunity to communicate clearly with your plan's beneficiaries. The SPD is not just a regulatory box to check, but should be considered as an opportunity to clearly and concisely educate your employees and beneficiaries. On the flipside, failure to adequately describe the benefits to your employees can cause extra expense, and even lawsuits, that could have been avoided if the beneficiaries understood the plan's requirements up front. Conflicting language between the SPD and other plan documents can cause confusion, complaints and excess expenses. This program will review the complex content and distribution requirements of the SPD to allow you to review your own processes and SPD contents for compliance. Electronic distribution of the SPD is common in this age of email, electronic enrollment and website posting and seems like it would be a simple endeavor. However, the ERISA regulations for electronic distribution are surprisingly complex and filled with recordkeeping requirements that can trip up the unknowledgeable employer or administrator. We will discuss the electronic distribution requirements in detail and review safe harbor requirements. This program will review some recent court decisions related to SPD distribution, requests for information, and clarity of plan terms and educate you on how to avoid these lawsuits in your organization. Finally, we will discuss the difference between the SPD and the Plan document, their coordination, and how courts enforce and interpret these two documents.
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Why Lorman?
Over 38 years and 1.4 million customers worth of experience providing continuing education. Our passion is providing you world-class training to help you succeed in business and as a professional.
Agenda
Basic Summary Plan Description Requirements
- Content Requirements
- Distribution Requirements
- Reviewing Insurance Carrier SPD
Clear Communication in SPD
- Court Expectations
- Benefits of Simple Instructions, Descriptions and Examples
- Short Concise Sentences and Active Voice
- Incorporation of Plan and Insurance Documents Through Wrap SPD
Delivery and Distribution Requirements
- Mail Safe Harbor
- Basic Delivery Requirement
- Electronic Delivery Requirements
- Website Posting - Not a Safe Harbor but Potentially Reasonable
Summary of Material Modification - Update to SPD
- Distribution Requirements
- Reason for SMM
Recent Court Decisions
- Request for Copy of Draft SPD
- Recoupment of Overpayment of Benefits
- SPD as Substitute for Plan Document
- Unclear SPD Language
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Why Lorman?
Over 38 years and 1.4 million customers worth of experience providing continuing education. Our passion is providing you world-class training to help you succeed in business and as a professional.
Credits
OnDemand Course
This course was last revised on March 11, 2025.
Call 1-866-352-9540 for further credit information.
- ASA 1.0
- This program may qualify for 1.0 continuing education hour(s) towards maintaining your ASA credential. Please contact ASA for more information at [email protected]. Please retain proof of attendance in the event your CE record is audited.
- AK CLE 1.0
- Alaska attorneys may receive 1.0 hours of continuing legal education for completing this program. Please contact the Alaska Bar Association or go to www.alaskabar.org for details regarding reciprocity with other states.
- AL CLE 1.1
- This course or a portion thereof has been approved by the Alabama State Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission for a maximum of 1.1 hours credit.
- AR CLE 1.0
- This course has been approved for 1.0 hours of CLE by the Arkansas CLE Board.
- Arizona CLE 1.0
- The Arizona State Bar does not pre-approve or pre-certify MCLE programs. However, records of this program and attendance will be maintained by Lorman Education Services for auditing purposes. This activity may qualify for up to 1.0 hours toward your annual CLE requirement for the State Bar of Arizona.
- CA MCLE 1.0
- Lorman Education Services is a State Bar of California approved MCLE sponsor and this course qualifies for 1.0 CLE hours of participatory credit.
- CT CLE 1.0
- Neither the Connecticut Judicial Branch nor the Commission on Minimum Continuing Legal Education approve or accredit CLE providers or activities. This course has been approved for CLE credit in jurisdictions aside from CT and therefore it automatically meets the content and delivery requirements in Connecticut. Credit is based on a 60 minute credit hour and shall be awarded as follows: 1.0 CLE credit(s).
- GA CLE 1.0
- This program has been approved by the Georgia Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency for 1.0 CLE hours.
- HI CLE 1.0
- This program was approved by the Hawaii State Board of Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 CLE credit hours.
- IL CLE 1.0
- This course was approved for a total of 1.0 hours of MCLE Credit by the Illinois MCLE Board.
- IN CLE 1.1
- This program has been approved by the Indiana Commission on Continuing Legal Education. Participating attorneys are eligible to receive up to 1.1 hours of Distance Education credit.
- MO CLE 1.3
- This course qualifies for self-study CLE credit in Missouri.
- ND CLE 1.0
- North Dakota CLE policy does not allow for pre-approval of any self-study courses. This course may qualify for up to 1.0 hours of CLE credit.
- NH MCLE 1.0
- NH MCLE does not approve or accredit CLE activities for the NH Minimum CLE requirement. Lorman Education Services believes this Ondemand course meets the requirement of NH Supreme Court Rule 53 and may qualify for CLE credit(s). Program Length: 64 Minutes.
- NJ CLE 1.3
- This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 1.3 hours of total CLE credit.
- NM CLE 1.0
- This program has been approved by the New Mexico Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board for 1.0 hours of credit.
- NV CLE 1.0
- This program has been approved by the Nevada Board of Continuing Legal Education for 1.0 CLE hours.
- NY CLE 1.0 including Areas of Professional Practice 1
- This course has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the New York Continuing Legal Education Board for up to a maximum of 1.0 credit hours in the area(s) of Areas of Professional Practice for 1.00 hour. Each hour may be counted only as satisfying one category of credit. Duplicate credit for the same hour of instruction is not permitted. This course qualifies for both established and newly admitted attorneys. Lorman Education- Noggin Guru, Inc. has a financial hardship guideline. Please contact customer service at 1.866.352.9539 for instructions on how to apply.
- PA CLE 1.0
- This Distance Learning program has been approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for 1.0 hours of substantive law, practice and procedure CLE credit.
- RI CLE 1.0
- This program has been approved by the Rhode Island Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission for 1.0 hours of CLE credit.
- TN CLE 1.07
- This program has been approved as a distance learning format by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education for a maximum of 1.07 hours of credit.
- VT CLE 1.0
- This self-study program has been approved by the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board of Vermont for 1.0 hour(s) of CLE credit. Please note: Attorneys may only claim 12 credits per compliance period in this format. This course is considered "Non-Moderated Programming without Interactivity".
- WI CLE 1.0
- This program qualifies for 1.0 hour(s) of ondemand CLE through the WI Board of Bar Examiners.
- WV MCLE 1.3
- This program has been approved by the West Virginia State Bar MCLE Commission for 1.3 MCLE hours.
HR Certification Institute 1.0
- This E-Learning program has been pre-approved for 1.0 (General) recertification credit hours toward aPHR®, aPHRi(TM), PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi(TM), and SPHRi(TM) recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HR Certification Institute website at www.hrci.org.
SHRM 1.0
- Lorman Education Services is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. This program is valid for 1.0 PDC(s) for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP.
To earn each credit Lorman offers through the OnDemand learning platform, you need to watch 100% of the program. Also, for certain credits you will need to fulfill additional requirements which will be displayed on the "credits" tab when viewing the course.
- Those applying for AIA and HRCI must view 100% of the program and answer the questions following the program.
This program does NOT qualify, nor meet the National Standard for NASBA accreditation.
MP3 Download
- AK CLE 1.0
- Arizona CLE 1.0
- CA MCLE 1.0
- CT CLE 1.0
- HI CLE 1.0
- MO CLE 1.3
- NJ CLE 1.3
- NM CLE 1.0
- VT CLE 1.0
- WV MCLE 1.3
This program does NOT qualify, nor meet the National Standard for NASBA accreditation.
Audio & Reference Manual
- AK CLE 1.0
This program does NOT qualify, nor meet the National Standard for NASBA accreditation.
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Why Lorman?
Over 38 years and 1.4 million customers worth of experience providing continuing education. Our passion is providing you world-class training to help you succeed in business and as a professional.
Faculty
Linda Stuessi
The Wagner Law Group
- Of Counsel in the San Diego office of The Wagner Law Group
- Leads the retiree medical trust practice group at Wagner Law Group
- Practice includes drafting various trust documents, conducting research on legal issues in employee benefits law and tax law, coordinating with trust advisors, reviewing contracts with service providers, and preparing IRS requests for private letter rulings defending Department of Labor investigations
- Has practiced in ERISA and employee benefits for over 16 years, with prior experience in employment law, First Amendment law, securities class actions, and litigation
- J.D. Degree, cum laude, University of Wisconsin Law School
- Can be contacted at 619-232-8703 or [email protected]
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Why Lorman?
Over 38 years and 1.4 million customers worth of experience providing continuing education. Our passion is providing you world-class training to help you succeed in business and as a professional.
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