The Wagner Law Group | Est. 1996

Sophisticated Legal Solutions Boutique-Style Service

Experience

  • Responsible for all matters concerning employee handbooks, such as:
    • drafting,
    • reviewing,
    • modifying, and
    • counseling.
  • Draft and review HR Manuals, Policies and Procedures.
  • Draft and review Employee Handbooks.
  • Consultation regarding HIPAA privacy and security and HITECH matters.
  • Train supervisors and employees on Human Resources matters.
  • Draft and review SPDs for qualified plans, health and welfare and fringe benefit plans.
  • Prepare GUST and EGTRRA submissions for qualified plans and respond to the IRS.
  • Draft documents and amendments for qualified plans, health and welfare and fringe benefit plans.
  • Conduct due diligence reviews and prepare reports with respect to qualified retirement plan, tax-sheltered annuities and welfare plan.
  • Consult with clients on a wide variety of issues with respect to qualified retirement plans, tax-sheltered annuities, VEBAs, and welfare plans.

Prior Experience The Segal Company, Boston, MA. 2002 – May 2003 Compliance Consultant

  • Same as above.

PricewaterhouseCoopersBoston, MA. 1997-2002 Senior Consultant, Global Human Resource Services

  • Interim HR Director for a client in the process of restructuring.
  • Draft HR policy and procedure manuals, employee handbooks, and affirmative action plans.
  • Review clients’ human resource and benefit administration, reporting and compliance procedures.
  • Draft and review SPDs for qualified plans, health and welfare and fringe benefit plans.
  • Develop tools for consultants (e.g., SPD checklist, and How to file for an IRS determination letter).
  • Provide technical, and administrative support on human resource and employee benefits.
  • Study current and proposed legislation and regulations, revenue rulings, notices, private letter rulings, and court cases relating to employee benefits and human resources.
  • Mentor associates.
  • Contributor to Boston Advisory Group providing assistance to inner city businesses.

Alexander Consulting Group, Newburyport, MA. 1993-1997 Applied Research Consultant

  • Project manager and contributing author to: ERISA Compliance Guide, FMLA Compliance Guide, COBRA Compliance Guide, Welfare Plan Annual Reports Guide, and Medicare Secondary Payer Guide. Primary contact for publishers.
  • Contributed to following publications: ACG Digest, ACG Commentary, and ACG Update.
  • Reviewed clients’ benefit administration, reporting and compliance procedures. Developed review procedures. Wrote training manual and trained reviewers.
  • Drafted human resource policy and procedure manuals for clients.
  • Designed and conducted compliance seminars for consultants and clients on ERISA, COBRA and FMLA.
  • Provided technical, and administrative support to field personnel on employee benefit issues.
  • Studied current and proposed legislation and regulations, revenue rulings, notices, private letter rulings, and court cases relating to employee benefits and human resources.

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Boston, MA. 1989-1993 Employee Benefits Specialist

  • Studied current and proposed legislation, current and proposed regulations, revenue rulings, notices, private letter rulings, and court cases related to employee benefits.
  • Worked closely with personnel managers, insurance agents, and consulting firms to coordinate the design and administration of clients’ employee benefit programs.
  • Drafted restatements and amendments for individually designed pension and profit sharing plans, and plans using prototype documents.
  • Drafted documents and forms for flexible spending accounts.
  • Drafted SPDs and participant election forms for pension, profit sharing and welfare benefit plans.
  • Prepared all necessary documentation and IRS forms to adopt, amend or terminate qualified plans.
  • Prepared forms for PBGC standard and distress terminations for defined benefit plans.
  • Prepared annual returns (Forms 5500) and reports for pension, profit sharing and welfare benefit plans.

The New England, Boston, MA. 1986-1989 Pension Consultant, Pension Legal

  • Studied current and proposed legislation, current and proposed regulations, revenue rulings, notices, private letter rulings, and court cases related to employee benefits.
  • Provided in-house technical, administrative and product support on employee benefit issues.
  • Wrote qualified plan termination section of procedures manual for regional and home office personnel.
  • Contributed articles to Pension Legislative Bulletins, a pension newsletter.
  • Assisted in the production of SPDs.
  • Drafted participant notices and forms for used by qualified plan administrators in regional offices.

Kenneth D. Anderson Company, Concord, MA. 1984-1986 Pension Administrator

  • Supervised and trained new personnel on defined contribution plans.
  • Managed the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co. accounts by working closely with the Boston field agents and their clients.
  • Prepared annual reports and IRS Form 5500s for qualified plans.
  • Drafted SPDs, amendments, and election forms for qualified plans.
  • Prepared packages to adopt, amend or terminate qualified plans.
  • Submitted qualified plans to the IRS for determination letters.

US Boston Services, Burlington, MA. 1983-1984 Pension Administrator

  • Prepared annual reports and IRS Form 5500s for qualified plans.
  • Prepared and submitted IRS required forms to terminate, amend, or adopt qualified plans.

Brookwood School, Manchester, MA. 1980-1982 Teacher

Publications & Media

Education

EEOC Compliance in Massachusetts ALI-ABA Health and Welfare Plan Update 2000 Writing the Employee Handbook in Massachusetts Update on Personnel Law in Massachusetts 1999 IWCC: Writing Workshop 1996 Shipley Associates Seminar: Strategic Sales Writing 1994 Information Mapping Seminar: Developing Procedures, Policies &
Documentation 1993 CEEBS exams: 1989 – 1990
    • Life, Health & Other Group Benefit Programs
    • Retirement Plans: Basic Features and Defined Benefit Approaches
    • Retirement Plans: Defined Contribution Approaches & Plan Administration

LOMA exams: 1988

    • Life and Health Insurance
    • Life and Health Insurance Companies
    • Pension Law

Bentley College, Waltham, MA courses: 1984

  • Reporting and Disclosure Requirements
  • Pension Law
  • Pension Fundamentals

Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022. B.A. in French and history. 1979

Law Alerts

DOL Releases Final Rule Revising FLSA Overtime Regulations

By Virginia Peabody (Senior Consultant) and Cassandra White (Paralegal) On April 23, 2024, the Biden administration announced a final rule that impacts overtime protections by increasing compensation thresholds. The rule is intended to assist lower-paid salaried...

Wage and Hour Updates for Maine, New York, and New York City

By Katherine Brustowicz, David Gabor, Virginia Peabody I. Maine – Mandatory Vacation Payout Upon Separation from Employment  Maine will follow Massachusetts’ lead in implementing mandatory vacation payout upon employment separation. An amendment to the State of...