U.S. Department of Labor v. Marzett

**Court Orders Employer to Pay Back $24,200 in Missing Retirement Funds** This case involved Shaun Marzett and his company, Mahan Consulting Group, who failed to make required payments to their employees' retirement plans. Under federal law (ERISA), employers who offer retirement benefits must actually deposit the money they withhold from workers' paychecks into those retirement accounts. The Department of Labor sued when the company failed to do this. The court ruled in favor of the Department of Labor after Marzett and his company failed to respond to the lawsuit. The judge ordered them to pay back $24,200.90 to the retirement plans immediately. The court also appointed an independent person to oversee the retirement plans to ensure proper management going forward. This ruling matters for workers because it shows that federal agencies will enforce retirement benefit laws. When employers take money from your paycheck for retirement contributions, they must actually put that money into your retirement account - they can't just keep it or use it for other purposes. If your employer fails to make these deposits, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor, which has the power to recover your money through the courts.