AT&T Inc. is the largest provider of fixed telephony in the United States, and also provides broadband and subscription television services. As of January 2011, AT&T is the largest provider of mobile telephony service in the United States, with over 95.5 million wireless customers, just ahead of Verizon Wireless' 94.1 million, and more than 210 million total customers.[4]
As of 2010, AT&T is the 7th largest company in the United States by total revenue, as well as the 4th largest non-oil company in the US (behind Walmart, General Electric and Bank of America). It is the 3rd largest company in Texas by total revenue (behind ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips) and the largest non-oil company in Texas. It is also the largest company headquartered in Dallas.[5] In 2010, Forbes listed AT&T as the 13th largest company in the world by market value and the 9th largest non-oil company in the world by market value.[6]
Southwestern Bell Corporation was founded in 1983 as a Regional Bell Operating Company following the break-up of the original AT&T as a result of the United States v. AT&T antitrust suit. The company changed its name in 1995 to SBC Communications Inc. and again in 2005 to AT&T Inc. after it purchased its former parent company, AT&T Corporation. The newly merged company took on the iconic AT&T logo and stock-trading symbol (NYSE: T, for "telephone").
The current AT&T reconstitutes much of the former Bell System and includes ten of the original 22 Bell Operating Companies along with one it partially owned (Southern New England Telephone), and the original long distance division.[7] The company is headquartered in downtown Dallas, Texas.
On behalf of its clients and a class, Cohen Milstein filed a complaint against SBC Communications, (now AT&T) concerning the management of and the reduction of benefits provided by the SBC Telephone Concession Plan. This lawsuit alleges that SBC violated nearly every provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA") governing defined benefit plans with respect to the SBC Telephone Concession provided to Out-of-Service Area (a/k/a OOR/OOF) retirees. In Phase I of this lawsuit, the Court has determined that the Telephone Concession provided to OOR/OOF retirees is a defined benefit pension plan covered by ERISA. In Phase II of the litigation, Plaintiffs will seek to reform the Plan so that it complies with ERISA and also seeks to restore telephone concession benefits (which SBC has attempted to eliminate or reduce) to retirees and other vested employees of SBC entitled to receive this benefit.
n October 3, 2006, the Court entered an order certifying this case as a Class Action. The class is defined as follows for claims against SBC: (1) Retirees of an SBC Company, receiving a Telephone Concession Benefit after they retired, anytime from January 1, 2002, to the present and who lived outside the SBC Service Area; (2) Current or former employees of any SBC Participating Company with more than five years of service with an SBC Participating Company as of June 1, 2005, who were eligible or might become eligible to receive an Out-of-Service Telephone Concession after they retired; (3) Members of the immediate family of any person in Group 1 or Group 2, including surviving spouses and the retiree dependents, during the time that SBC had a policy to provide employees of such SBC Participating Companies with a Telephone Concession after retirement. In addition, the Court certified a class consisting of all participants and beneficiaries of the Plan at any time from January 31, 2003, to October 1, 2005 for the Benefits Claims Pursuant to ERISA §502 (A)(1)(B) against the Plan.
Employee Benefits Enrollment
SBC strives to deliver clear, high-quality communications to enroll both core and voluntary insurance plans. To accomplish the established goals, we rely on working closely with the client H.R. department for support for this valuable employee benefit communication planning system. The joint effort between you and SBC will assure a highly effective and successful enrollment with complete employee comprehension of available choices. We have outlined the process in providing these services:
Enrollment Agenda
SBC representatives will meet with client to review product options, communication, enrollment method and administration processes. We will negotiate insurance company quotes for products that have been selected by client.
After client approval of the recommendations, we will provide enrollment contracts and insurance company master agree ments for signature.
We will then develop, with client, the enrollment timeline and implementation process.
Pre-Enrollment Process:
Review payroll systems and master agreements.
Review replacement issues or take over provisions of current plans.
Letter of agreement is signed by client.
Interface with all vendors to provide services for enrollment.
Timeline is developed for enrollment process with the targeted completion dates.
Finalize any changes by client to insurance plans.
Then we…
Begin development of communications for pre-enrollment and education.
Provide sample management and employee announcement letters.
Determine enrollment start date.
Conduct meetings to communicate the enrollment process to upper and middle management.
Contact programmers for the electronic enrollment, (if applicable).
Enrollment Management:
Supervise enrollment process.
Provide daily and weekly reports to management.
We offer an array of enrollment choices. These include the following or a combination of them:
Face-to-face meetings - Our team of Professionals are available to provide face-to-face enrollments.
Call center - SBC can provide call center services for any size group.
Passive Enrollment - Enrollment through print material, involving no live interaction with employees.
Internet - Using an online enrollment system, either passive or in conjunction with other benefit communications, including call centers.
Administration
Our recommendations can provide a great benefit to a client and its employees, but only with the commitment and service needed to support the level you expect. We will provide the following services to support the programs offered by our company:
Provide electronic interface of deductions, changes, and cancellation of programs being offered by SBC. Our staff will also assist with monthly billing reconciliation.
Employees who have questions, claims, changes in status, or lost policies may receive assistance through our client specific customer 800 number, through our web site with our customer service request form, or through their personal customer portal. No client employee willhave to answer questions or provide administrative support for these programs.
We are committed to providing valuable and affordable insurance programs, and to supporting a client's administration of the plans.
Retention
Benefits
Coverage may vary depending upon management or occupational level.
Medical
The company offers employees an extensive medical plan. In addition to the medical and surgical benefits, eligible employees have coverage for prescription drugs and mental health/chemical dependency (substance abuse) treatment.
CarePlus
CarePlus provides financial protection against the high cost of certain specific and costly forms of medical treatment generally not covered by the company-offered medical plan or many health maintenance organizations.
Dental
Dental coverage is an important part of an employee's total compensation and helps the employee pay for necessary dental care, including expenses for routine oral examinations, cleaning, fluoride treatments and X-rays, as well as many basic and major restorative services.
Vision
Vision coverage helps pay for eye exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses and frames and offers laser vision correction procedures at a discounted price.
Retirement and Savings Plans
401(k) Savings Plan
SBC companies provide a convenient way to save for retirement. To help build savings, employees may:
- Save a certain percentage of their eligible compensation on a pre-tax basis and/or an after-tax basis.
- Receive a company matching contribution.
- Choose to invest their savings in various funds with different levels of risk.
Pension Plan
The Pension Plan works with the company savings plans, individual personal savings and investments, and Social Security to help employees build a secure financial future. Employees make no contributions to the pension plan - it is totally funded by the company.
Time Off
Leaves of Absence
SBC companies offer unpaid leaves of absence, subject to advance approval, for certain quality-of-life needs, including family care leaves.
Paid Time Off
SBC companies provide paid time away from work to relax and recharge, including vacation, holidays and personal days.
As of 2010, AT&T is the 7th largest company in the United States by total revenue, as well as the 4th largest non-oil company in the US (behind Walmart, General Electric and Bank of America). It is the 3rd largest company in Texas by total revenue (behind ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips) and the largest non-oil company in Texas. It is also the largest company headquartered in Dallas.[5] In 2010, Forbes listed AT&T as the 13th largest company in the world by market value and the 9th largest non-oil company in the world by market value.[6]
Southwestern Bell Corporation was founded in 1983 as a Regional Bell Operating Company following the break-up of the original AT&T as a result of the United States v. AT&T antitrust suit. The company changed its name in 1995 to SBC Communications Inc. and again in 2005 to AT&T Inc. after it purchased its former parent company, AT&T Corporation. The newly merged company took on the iconic AT&T logo and stock-trading symbol (NYSE: T, for "telephone").
The current AT&T reconstitutes much of the former Bell System and includes ten of the original 22 Bell Operating Companies along with one it partially owned (Southern New England Telephone), and the original long distance division.[7] The company is headquartered in downtown Dallas, Texas.
On behalf of its clients and a class, Cohen Milstein filed a complaint against SBC Communications, (now AT&T) concerning the management of and the reduction of benefits provided by the SBC Telephone Concession Plan. This lawsuit alleges that SBC violated nearly every provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA") governing defined benefit plans with respect to the SBC Telephone Concession provided to Out-of-Service Area (a/k/a OOR/OOF) retirees. In Phase I of this lawsuit, the Court has determined that the Telephone Concession provided to OOR/OOF retirees is a defined benefit pension plan covered by ERISA. In Phase II of the litigation, Plaintiffs will seek to reform the Plan so that it complies with ERISA and also seeks to restore telephone concession benefits (which SBC has attempted to eliminate or reduce) to retirees and other vested employees of SBC entitled to receive this benefit.
n October 3, 2006, the Court entered an order certifying this case as a Class Action. The class is defined as follows for claims against SBC: (1) Retirees of an SBC Company, receiving a Telephone Concession Benefit after they retired, anytime from January 1, 2002, to the present and who lived outside the SBC Service Area; (2) Current or former employees of any SBC Participating Company with more than five years of service with an SBC Participating Company as of June 1, 2005, who were eligible or might become eligible to receive an Out-of-Service Telephone Concession after they retired; (3) Members of the immediate family of any person in Group 1 or Group 2, including surviving spouses and the retiree dependents, during the time that SBC had a policy to provide employees of such SBC Participating Companies with a Telephone Concession after retirement. In addition, the Court certified a class consisting of all participants and beneficiaries of the Plan at any time from January 31, 2003, to October 1, 2005 for the Benefits Claims Pursuant to ERISA §502 (A)(1)(B) against the Plan.
Employee Benefits Enrollment
SBC strives to deliver clear, high-quality communications to enroll both core and voluntary insurance plans. To accomplish the established goals, we rely on working closely with the client H.R. department for support for this valuable employee benefit communication planning system. The joint effort between you and SBC will assure a highly effective and successful enrollment with complete employee comprehension of available choices. We have outlined the process in providing these services:
Enrollment Agenda
SBC representatives will meet with client to review product options, communication, enrollment method and administration processes. We will negotiate insurance company quotes for products that have been selected by client.
After client approval of the recommendations, we will provide enrollment contracts and insurance company master agree ments for signature.
We will then develop, with client, the enrollment timeline and implementation process.
Pre-Enrollment Process:
Review payroll systems and master agreements.
Review replacement issues or take over provisions of current plans.
Letter of agreement is signed by client.
Interface with all vendors to provide services for enrollment.
Timeline is developed for enrollment process with the targeted completion dates.
Finalize any changes by client to insurance plans.
Then we…
Begin development of communications for pre-enrollment and education.
Provide sample management and employee announcement letters.
Determine enrollment start date.
Conduct meetings to communicate the enrollment process to upper and middle management.
Contact programmers for the electronic enrollment, (if applicable).
Enrollment Management:
Supervise enrollment process.
Provide daily and weekly reports to management.
We offer an array of enrollment choices. These include the following or a combination of them:
Face-to-face meetings - Our team of Professionals are available to provide face-to-face enrollments.
Call center - SBC can provide call center services for any size group.
Passive Enrollment - Enrollment through print material, involving no live interaction with employees.
Internet - Using an online enrollment system, either passive or in conjunction with other benefit communications, including call centers.
Administration
Our recommendations can provide a great benefit to a client and its employees, but only with the commitment and service needed to support the level you expect. We will provide the following services to support the programs offered by our company:
Provide electronic interface of deductions, changes, and cancellation of programs being offered by SBC. Our staff will also assist with monthly billing reconciliation.
Employees who have questions, claims, changes in status, or lost policies may receive assistance through our client specific customer 800 number, through our web site with our customer service request form, or through their personal customer portal. No client employee willhave to answer questions or provide administrative support for these programs.
We are committed to providing valuable and affordable insurance programs, and to supporting a client's administration of the plans.
Retention
Benefits
Coverage may vary depending upon management or occupational level.
Medical
The company offers employees an extensive medical plan. In addition to the medical and surgical benefits, eligible employees have coverage for prescription drugs and mental health/chemical dependency (substance abuse) treatment.
CarePlus
CarePlus provides financial protection against the high cost of certain specific and costly forms of medical treatment generally not covered by the company-offered medical plan or many health maintenance organizations.
Dental
Dental coverage is an important part of an employee's total compensation and helps the employee pay for necessary dental care, including expenses for routine oral examinations, cleaning, fluoride treatments and X-rays, as well as many basic and major restorative services.
Vision
Vision coverage helps pay for eye exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses and frames and offers laser vision correction procedures at a discounted price.
Retirement and Savings Plans
401(k) Savings Plan
SBC companies provide a convenient way to save for retirement. To help build savings, employees may:
- Save a certain percentage of their eligible compensation on a pre-tax basis and/or an after-tax basis.
- Receive a company matching contribution.
- Choose to invest their savings in various funds with different levels of risk.
Pension Plan
The Pension Plan works with the company savings plans, individual personal savings and investments, and Social Security to help employees build a secure financial future. Employees make no contributions to the pension plan - it is totally funded by the company.
Time Off
Leaves of Absence
SBC companies offer unpaid leaves of absence, subject to advance approval, for certain quality-of-life needs, including family care leaves.
Paid Time Off
SBC companies provide paid time away from work to relax and recharge, including vacation, holidays and personal days.
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