Contact: David Carew
(615) 661-0249, ext. 8077
dcarew@mleesmith.com

Final New COBRA Regulations to Be Explained to U.S. Employers in Nationally Broadcast Audio Seminar Sponsored by M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC

NASHVILLE, TN, August 19, 2004 — M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC will present a live, nationally broadcast audio seminar entitled “Mastering the New COBRA Regulations” on Tuesday, August 31 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time (10 to 11:30 a.m. Central). The audio seminar will help businesses nationwide clearly understand and comply with the just-finalized COBRA regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The finalized regulations mandate how U.S. employers must provide temporary continuation of health benefits when coverage is lost because of job loss, divorce, or death. One of the most crucial changes in the regulations pertains to the manner in which employers must now notify employees of their COBRA rights.

Initially presented on July 8, “Mastering the New COBRA Regulations” proved to be so popular as an audio seminar that M. Lee Smith Publishers has now scheduled the additional live broadcast on August 31 to satisfy nationwide demand. The July 8th event was attended by hundreds of the nation’s HR professionals and benefits managers.

Because “Mastering the New COBRA Regulations” is an audio seminar, registrants do not leave their offices to attend. They simply tune in to the live 90-minute presentation via their own office speakerphone or telephone and may train as many employees as they like for $167 (total) per listening site. Companies register by calling KRM Information Services (which is handling registration for this event) at 800-775-7654.

The featured speaker for the audio seminar will be Ashley Gillihan of the Atlanta-based law offices of Alston & Bird LLP. Mr. Gillihan, widely considered one of America’s premier authorities on COBRA and other company-offered benefits, is on the Advisory Board of Editors of the national newsletter ‘Benefits & Compensation Law Alert.’

By participating in this audio seminar, employers, HR professionals, and benefits specialists will learn:

• Exactly how the DOL’s new COBRA regulations have changed…and what that means for U.S. employers’ benefits policies and procedures.
• Specific ways employers must change COBRA notice procedures to remain legally compliant;
• How employers must change other communication materials to remain compliant;
• How the new regulations relate to Cal-COBRA and other state continuation laws;
• What employers must know about the DOL’s new COBRA-related “anticipation of a divorce” rule;
• How the new rules apply to domestic partner and/or same-sex marriages;
• What's on the horizon for COBRA and Health Reimbursement Arrangements.

More About the Audio Conference Guest Speaker
Ashley Gillihan, an attorney based in Atlanta, is a member of Alston & Bird LLP’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group. Mr. Gillihan's practice focuses exclusively on health and welfare benefit plan matters. He advises clients on various issues including but not limited to, COBRA, ERISA matters such as fiduciary duty, reporting and disclosure, tax qualification matters related to fringe benefit programs and VEBAs, benefit matters arising under the ADA and ADEA, and HIPAA portability and privacy issues. He lectures frequently and has published a number of articles on health and welfare benefit plan compliance topics.

About M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC
Founded in 1975, M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC of Brentwood, Tennessee (Nashville area) is the only company in America that produces a state-specific workplace law newsletter for all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. The company also produces a wide variety of other newsletters, national and state-specific workplace law conferences and audio seminars, and other information products for HR professionals, business people, and attorneys, including the national award-winning video-based training series 10 Danger Zones for Supervisors. For more information please visit www.HRhero.com or www.mleesmith.com.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Ashley Gillihan is available as an authoritative source on the final revised COBRA regulations, in conjunction with this upcoming nationally broadcast audio seminar. To schedule an interview with Mr. Gillihan, please contact David Carew at M. Lee Smith Publishers LLC at 800-274-6774, ext. 8077 or via e-mail at dcarew@mleesmith.com.

The company also offers full-service publishing and printing for other companies' newsletters.

Click here for more information about M. Lee Smith Publishers.