Live Webinar

65-minute live streaming program
  • March 11
  • 1:00 - 2:05 pm EST

Also available as:

OnDemand Course

Understanding Your Summary Plan Descriptions

March 11

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.

Learning Objectives

  • You will be able to describe the statutory requirements for the contents and distribution of a Summary Plan Description.
  • You will be able to discuss the reasons why clear and concise language is necessary in a Summary Plan Description.
  • You will be able to explain the safe harbor requirements for distribution of a Summary Plan Description.
  • You will be able to identify potential failures in your current Summary Plan Description distribution process.

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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

Live Webinar Registration

  • 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 State Bar of Arizona does not approve or accredit CLE activities for the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirement. 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).
     
  • 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.
     
  • MN CLE 1.0 (Pending)
     
  • This program has been submitted to the Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education. Approval pending.
     
  • MO CLE 1.3 (Pending)
     
  • NH MCLE 1.0
     
  • NH MCLE does not approve or accredit CLE activities for the NH Minimum CLE requirement. Lorman Education Services believes this course meets the requirement of NH Supreme Court Rule 53 and may qualify for CLE credit(s). Program Length: 60 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.
     
  • OH CLE 1.25 (Pending)
     
  • This course has been submitted to the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education for 1.25 CLE hours. Approval pending.
     
  • 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.
     
  • VT CLE 1.0
     
  • This program has been approved by the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board of Vermont for 1.0 hours of CLE credit.
     
  • WI CLE 1.0
     
  • This program has been approved by the Board of Bar Examiners for 1.0 hours for use toward the Wisconsin Mandatory CLE requirement.
     
  • 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 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.
     
  • CPE 1.2 including Personnel/HR 1.2
     
  • Noggin Guru, Inc. dba Lorman Education Services and BankersHub is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, please contact our offices at 866-352-9539. CPE Credit: Maximum Credit Hours: 1.2 each session (based on a 50 minute credit hour). You must attend at least 50 minutes to obtain credit. Field of Study: Personnel/HR for 1.2 hours. Prerequisite: . Level of Knowledge: Intermediate. Teaching Method: Seminar/Lecture. Advance Preparation: None. Delivery Method: Group Internet Based. Please refer to the information in this brochure for outline, course content and objectives. Upon completion of this course, you will receive a certificate of attendance. Final approval of a course for CPE credit belongs with each state's regulatory board. Please note: In order to receive CPE credit for this course you MUST use the streaming audio option, as well as enable and complete the required progress checks.
     

OnDemand Course

This course was last revised on December 3, 2015.

Call 1-866-352-9540 for further credit information.

This program does NOT qualify, nor meet the National Standard for NASBA accreditation.

Who should attend?

This live webinar is designed for human resource managers, benefits administrators, payroll managers, controllers, CFOs, finance directors, presidents, vice presidents, business and office managers, accountants, insurance professionals, and attorneys.

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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

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.

All of your training, right here at Lorman

All of your training, right here at Lorman.

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