The Department of Labor (DOL)’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has the authority to conduct audits on benefit plans that are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). DOL audits often focus on violations of ERISA’s fiduciary obligations and reporting and disclosure requirements.
The DOL may also investigate whether an employee benefit plan complies with ERISA’s protections for plan participants, such as the special enrollment rules or mental health parity requirements. Recently, the DOL has been using its investigative authority to enforce compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Penalties for noncompliance and other errors found during an audit can be steep. For example, during the 2013 fiscal year, more than 70 percent of audits resulted in monetary fines or other corrective action. There are several factors that increase or indicate your likelihood of being audited… Read More»