ERISA requires plans to provide participants with plan information including important information about plan features and funding; provides fiduciary responsibilities for those who manage and control plan assets; requires plans to establish a grievance and appeals process for participants to get benefits from their plans; and gives participants the right to sue for benefits and breaches of fiduciary duty. Attorneys may represent employees or they may represent the company in the design, preparation, and review of plan, trust, and employee communication documents to implement pension, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, fringe benefit, flexible benefit, and all types of employee welfare plans.
Portage is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 44,897 at the 2000 census. Portage is adjacent to the southern boundary of the City of Kalamazoo. The city was incorporated from the entirety of the former Portage Township on December 31, 1963. There are two public high schools in Portage, Portage Central and Portage Northern. The pharmaceutical company Pfizer also has operations located there, which in recent years has caused much controversy due to layoffs. Portage is known for its extensive network of historical parks and trails used for cycling, walking, canoeing, and other recreational activities. Since the creation of the Portage Bikeway system in 1989, the trails have expanded to over 50 miles (80 km), over five times as long as the city’s expressways. Portage is also home to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo.