Meeker Sharkey & Hurley Offer Free Webinar to Help Companies Survive U.S. Department of Labor Audits

CRANFORD, N.J., April 22, 2016 – Meeker Sharkey & Hurley, one of the region’s leading providers of employee benefits and insurance services, is offering a free webinar on May 4 to help companies prepare for health and welfare plan audits by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which can result in substantial fines for the investigated company.

Conducted by Mark Rambo, executive vice president of HR Workplace Services, the webinar will review the DOL audit process, audit triggers, and how to ensure employee benefits plans are compliant with federal laws and legislation, such as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Affordable Care Act.

“DOL audits are on the rise, and even the most diligent company could be selected for an audit to make sure its health and welfare plans meet federal requirements,” said Tom Sharkey, president, Meeker Sharkey & Hurley. “Our free webinar is designed to help companies prepare for a DOL audit before it happens and minimize the risk of an audit investigation if it occurs.”

DOL audits can be triggered by employee complaints, a government referral, a service provider referral, or other issues identified by the DOL database. Typically, the DOL gives employers short notice to prepare for an on-site visit to review company records, interview staff members and executives, and may even record what employment posters are on-site. According to a recent industry study, 75 percent of audits resulted in penalties and required costly corrective action.

Rambo, MSM, PHR, SHRM-CP, specializes in strategic planning, compliance and human capital management. For more than 20 years, Rambo has held numerous senior level management positions where he led operational, finance and human resource functions for public and private companies. Rambo is the HRCI State Certification Director for the Arizona SHRM State Council, responsible for statewide professional and training certification efforts.

The free one-hour webinar is on Wednesday, May 4 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EST. To register, visit http://www.meekersharkey.com/webinar/. Registrants will be granted access to the webinar video, which can be viewed at their convenience. Presentation materials will also be available for download. HR Workplace Services is applying for continuing education credits for this webinar with the Society for Human Resource Management and the Human Resource Certification Institute.

About Meeker Sharkey & Hurley

Serving the community since the 1860s, Meeker Sharkey & Hurley provides both personal and commercial insurance coverage, employee benefits and risk management services. In 2014, the firm merged with the James F. Hurley Insurance Agency. The firm is noted for its dedicated agents, high-quality client experiences, personal attention, and customized commercial risk management and benefit strategies for mid-market companies in the Tri-State region. For more information, visit www.meekersharkey.com.