Maria P. Topalovic

Maria Topalovic represents Taft-Hartley multiemployer fringe benefit funds including health and welfare funds; defined benefit pension funds; defined contribution pension funds; 401(k) funds; VEBAs; and other ancillary fringe benefit funds. 

She helps clients ensure compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and all other relevant laws and regulations.  

Maria practices heavily in health care compliance, to ensure that both fully insured and self-funded health and welfare plans comply with all applicable laws and regulations, both at the state and federal level. She advises clients on any permissible or impermissible benefit changes, as well as ensures all required documentation is prepared and dispersed as required by the law. She is well versed in drafting plan documents, trust documents, summary plan descriptions, plan and trust amendments, policies and procedures, SMMs, SBCs, and other participant notifications and communications.  

Maria also advises apprenticeship and training programs on the many regulatory rules imposed by the U.S. Department of Labor. She advises apprenticeship programs in many different construction trades, and seeks to ensure all students, staff and administrators have the proper tools and guidelines needed to provide a quality learning environment that produces highly skilled workers for trade unions.

Professional Affiliations

Member, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

COMMUNITY

Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, Parish Council Board Member and Secretary

Experience

• Negotiated and closed a years-long audit from the Department of Labor for a fringe benefit fund client.  
• Has negotiated and received approval for several Standards of Apprenticeship certified by the Department of Labor.  
• Negotiated a settlement on a health and welfare fund client’s behalf with the client’s prior legal counsel who had committed malpractice.
• Submitted language to the Department of Labor that was subsequently published in a Final Rule & Regulation affecting apprenticeship and training programs.
• Regularly negotiates administrative service agreements, as well as ancillary agreements, with large insurance companies on behalf of health and welfare fund clients.