Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. Watch the newest episode, The New Fiduciary Proposal: PTE 84-24 and the Obligations of Insurance Companies, below.
Author: Fred Reish
Fred Reish is a noted authority on retirement plan products and plan management who helps ensure that clients fulfill their fiduciary duty to investors and comply with federal law. He counsels plan sponsors, service providers and registered investment advisers on fiduciary responsibility, prohibited transactions under federal law, federal audits and pension plan disputes. When clients face regulatory disputes, Fred counsels them on mitigating the impact of enforcement actions and resolving compliance issues.
ERISA Moments Ep. 7: The New Fiduciary Proposal: PTE 84-24 and the Significant Disclosure Obligations
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the newest episode, The New Fiduciary Proposal: PTE 84-24 and the Significant Disclosure Obligations, below.
ERISA Moments Ep. 6: The New Fiduciary Proposal: PTE 84-24 and the Limits on Independent Agents’ Compensation
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the newest episode, The New Fiduciary Proposal: PTE 84-24 and the Limits on Independent Agents’ Compensation, below.
ERISA Moments: The New Fiduciary Proposal: An Overview of PTE 84-24 and its Impact
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the newest episode, The New Fiduciary Proposal: An Overview of PTE 84-24 and its Impact, below.
ERISA Moments: New DOL Fiduciary Proposal Stirs Controversy — The Impact on the Insurance Industry
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the newest episode, ERISA Moments: New DOL Fiduciary Proposal Stirs Controversy—The Impact on the Insurance Industry.
ERISA Moments: What Will be in the New DOL Fiduciary Proposal: Our Thoughts
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the newest episode, ERISA Moments: What Will be in the New DOL Fiduciary Proposal: Our Thoughts, below.
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ERISA Moments: The DOL’s New Fiduciary Proposal is at the OMB: What’s Next?
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the newest episode, The DOL’s New Fiduciary Proposal is at the OMB: What’s Next?, below.
Introducing ERISA Moments: Bite-Size Vodcasts on the Latest ERISA Developments
Take a quick dive into the exciting world of ERISA with Faegre Drinker benefits and executive compensation attorneys Fred Reish and Brad Campbell. In this quick-hit series of updates, Fred and Brad offer a high-level view of current trends and recent ERISA developments. See the first episode, A Federal Court Decides on the DOL’s ESG Regulation, below.
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Lessons Learned from Recent Fiduciary Victories
There is nothing a plan sponsor or ERISA fiduciary can do to prevent allegations of fiduciary breach; however, there are many things they can do to be prepared to rebut such claims. Unfortunately, because of “headline news,” it is easy for plan sponsors to focus on cautionary tales of what other plan sponsors and fiduciaries did wrong. However, it is just as important, if not more so, to be aware of what plan sponsors and fiduciaries did right….in their legal victories. Two recent fiduciary victories provide valuable insights into how a court would evaluate the decisions and processes of plan committees.[1] In these cases, the courts highlighted conduct by the fiduciaries as evidence that they did not breach their fiduciary duties. Specifically, the judges focused on having a process of review, seeking outside help, and diligently maintaining records. The favorable views of these activities provide guidance for other plan sponsors and fiduciaries regarding how their conduct will be viewed if they face similar claims in the future.
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Department of Labor Proposal Would Encourage Consideration of ESG Factors for Plan Investments
On October 13, 2021, the Department of Labor (DOL) released a new proposed regulation under ERISA that would replace the previous administration’s “pecuniary factors” rule – which is widely viewed as discouraging the use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors when selecting plan investments – with one that would encourage their consideration and provide a clearer pathway for plan fiduciaries to do so.
Background
Over the years, the DOL’s stated position on the consideration of ESG and other “social” factors when selecting plan investments has toggled back and forth, largely along party lines.