News & Analysis as of

Benefit Plan Sponsors Department of Labor (DOL) Environmental Social & Governance (ESG)

Goodwin

DOL Abandons ESG Rule in Investment Duties Regulation; Rescinds Cryptocurrency Guidance

Goodwin on

On May 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) took two major steps that signal a shift in its approach to fiduciary oversight under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA)....more

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL

Benefits Monthly Minute - January 2025

The January Monthly Minute highlights a recent Texas court decision holding ESG investing violated ERISA and a new development in the J&J prescription drug case that found plaintiff lacked standing to sue, and also digs into...more

Venable LLP

Trump Administration's Impact on Employee Benefits Issues

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Next year, President-elect Donald Trump's administration will begin implementing its agenda. The new administration's priorities and positions on certain benefits-related issues are expected to take a dramatic shift from...more

McDermott Will & Emery

How Pending Fishing Boat Cases at the Supreme Court Could Rock the Benefits Plan Boat

McDermott Will & Emery on

Thanks to two cases about federally mandated observers on fishing boats, judicial deference to agencies is likely to soon get weaker – and more unpredictable – with wide-ranging impacts for employee benefits. Less deference...more

Verrill

Update on the Debate over Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Investing

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The debate over investment of retirement plan funds based on environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) factors continues to make waves. This post provides a high-level overview of the current state of play for...more

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Launch of State Alliance Against “ESG Investing”

On March 16, 2023 the Republican governors of 19 states announced an alliance led by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, to “push back against President Biden’s environmental, social, corporate governance (ESG) agenda that is...more

BakerHostetler

The Growing Threat to ESG Initiatives

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On Jan. 26, 2023, twenty-four states sued the Department of Labor to block a new rule allowing retirement plans to consider environmental, social, and governance concepts (known as ESG) when administering plan assets. The...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

DOL Final Rule on ESG Factors to Take Effect February 1, 2023

Latham & Watkins LLP on

The Final Rule clarifies the application of ERISA’s fiduciary duties of prudence and loyalty to the selection of plan investments that incorporate ESG goals. On November 22, 2022, the US Department of Labor (DOL) released a...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

DOL Removes Certain Restrictions on ESG Considerations in ERISA Plan Investment Management

In November, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule (Final Rule) that will remove certain restrictions on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in plan investments. These restrictions were...more

Holland & Knight LLP

DOL Issues Final Rule on Climate Change, ESG Factors for Retirement Plan Investments

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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on Nov. 22, 2022, announced its adoption of amendments to the regulation setting out retirement plan fiduciary duties of prudence and loyalty under the Employee Retirement Income Security...more

Foley Hoag LLP

DOL Eases Restrictions on Use of ESG Factors in Retirement Plan Investment Decisions

Foley Hoag LLP on

The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued a final rule (the “Final Rule) addressing how ERISA fiduciaries may consider environmental, social and governmental (ESG) factors in making investment decisions for retirement...more

Snell & Wilmer

2022 End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” List (Part 3) Qualified Retirement Plans

Snell & Wilmer on

As 2022 comes to an end, we are pleased to present our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate SW Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered health and welfare plan...more

Morgan Lewis

The Interplay Between ESG Investing and ERISA’s Fiduciary Duties

Morgan Lewis on

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing—especially the “E”—is an increasingly hot topic for investors, but it presents unique legal issues for retirement plan decision makers who have strict fiduciary duties to...more

Morgan Lewis - ML Benefits

State Anti-ESG Bills May Complicate Public Retirement Plan Investing

At the same time that the federal government, through the US Department of Labor, appears to be easing retirement plan fiduciaries’ paths to considering certain environmental, social, or governance (ESG) factors in making...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Stay Tuned – the DOL Regulatory Agenda

The Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently published its Spring 2022 Regulatory Agenda, and here is a summary of several big ticket items: ESG & ERISA: Plan sponsors and investment professionals have been waiting for final...more

Carlton Fields

DOL to Plan Sponsors: “It’s Mostly All About the Benjamins!”

Carlton Fields on

Almost one year from the date it updated its investment duties regulation (29 C.F.R. § 2550.404a-1), triggering our previous article “DOL to Plan Sponsors: ‘It’s All About the Benjamins!,’” the Department of Labor (DOL)...more

Woodruff Sawyer

Protecting Against the ERISA Litigation Surge

Woodruff Sawyer on

ERISA litigation has exploded in the past few years, particularly cases alleging excessive fees. Last year was the high-water mark for ERISA class actions with over 200 cases filed, an 80% increase from 2019. 2021 is on track...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

The U.S. Department of Labor Issues Proposed Rule Giving Plan Fiduciaries Greater Latitude to Invest in ESG Funds

Ballard Spahr LLP on

On October 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a new proposed rule, "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights," that (again) seeks to define the extent to which a...more

K&L Gates LLP

DOL Sets New Tone on ESG Investing and Proxy Voting With Recently Proposed Rule

K&L Gates LLP on

On 13 October 2021, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed amendments (the Proposed Rule) to its investment duties regulation under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), to clarify that...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

Proposed ERISA regulation may facilitate ESG in retirement plans

On October 14, 2021, the US Department of Labor (DOL) proposed changes to ERISA regulations that would again shift the analysis of consideration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in retirement plans...more

Epstein Becker & Green

[Webinar] Hot Topics and Trends in Employee Benefits: What Employers Need to Know - November 3rd, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET

Epstein Becker & Green on

Attorneys from our Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice provide insights on current issues facing various types of employee benefits programs. Topics include: - Cybersecurity - DOL Audit Initiatives -...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

US Department of Labor Puts ESG Investing Back on the Menu

Latham & Watkins LLP on

A new proposal would amend changes made to ERISA less than a year ago that have proved to be detrimental to ESG investing. In a sweeping reversal of Trump-era policies, the US Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a...more

Goodwin

ERISA Litigation Update - April 2021

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Welcome to Goodwin’s ERISA Litigation Update. Litigation involving ERISA-governed benefits plans has exploded in recent years. Lawyers in our award-winning ERISA Litigation practice have extensive experience litigating these...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Attention ERISA Fiduciaries! DOL Now Requires Plan Investments Based Only on Pecuniary Factors

Many plan committees will be holding their Q4 meetings soon, and should begin reviewing compliance with recently issued final rules governing investments in plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act...more

Epstein Becker & Green

[Webinar] Hot Topics and Trends in Employee Benefits for 2021 - December 3rd, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET

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Please join us for our live Hot Topics and Trends in Employee Benefits for 2021 webinar on Thursday, December 3, 2020. Attorneys from our Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice will provide insights on current...more

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