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Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Today's Popular Updates

Holland & Knight LLP

Executive Order Calls for More Access to Retirement Plan Alternative Asset Investment Options

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President Donald Trump on Aug. 7, 2025, signed an executive order (EO), "Democratizing Access for 401(k) Investors," and published a related fact sheet. The EO expresses the policy of the Trump Administration that "every...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Executive Order Seeks to Expand Access to Crypto and Private Investments in Defined-Contribution Plans

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On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order (the Order) instructing federal agencies to expand access to alternative asset investments for participants in defined-contribution retirement plans such as 401(k)...more

Alston & Bird

Trump Administration Executive Order Aims to Expand 401(k) Access to Private Markets, Alternative Investments

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Our Investment Funds Team breaks down a new Executive Order signed by President Trump intended to expand access for 401(k) plans to invest in private equity, cryptocurrency, and other alternative assets....more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Executive Order Targets Access to Alternative Assets in Retirement Plans

On August 7, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (the “Order”) aiming to facilitate the use of alternative investment assets, such as private equity, real estate, venture capital, digital assets, and hedge funds,...more

King & Spalding

Executive Order Seeks to Promote Incorporation of Alternative Assets in 401(k) Plans

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On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order entitled “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors” (the “Executive Order”),1 requiring the Department of Labor (“DOL”) and the Securities...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Employers Continue to Face ERISA Tobacco Surcharge Lawsuits, With Mixed Results

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Recently, companies have seen a spate of class action lawsuits challenging the legality of tobacco cessation wellness programs and related tobacco surcharges imposed by their employer-sponsored health benefit plans....more

Fisher Phillips

Wave of Deregulation Hits DOL: What Employers Need to Know About the 60+ Rules on the Chopping Block

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The U.S. Department of Labor just quietly launched one of the most sweeping deregulatory efforts in recent memory, advancing over 60 proposals that could reshape workplace rules across industries. From overtime and minimum...more

Fisher Phillips

Workplace Law Update: 10 Essential Items on Your July To-Do List

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It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law, especially since the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace. To ensure you stay on top of the latest changes and have an action plan for...more

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

New DOL Guidance for Retirement Plans on Cryptocurrency and ESG Investments

The new administration has recently taken steps to revise guidance with respect to two retirement plan investment options: cryptocurrency, and funds focusing on environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors. These two...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Texas Federal Court Allows an ERISA Fiduciary Challenge Against Alleged "ESG Investing" Without Any ESG Funds

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On January 10, 2025, in Spence v. American Airlines, a federal district court in Texas ruled that American Airlines (the company) and the committee overseeing its 401(k) plans (the committee) breached their duty of loyalty...more

Carlton Fields

DOL ESG Rule Withstands Demolition of Chevron Deference

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In Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council Inc., leaving the doctrine of Chevron deference in rubble. The doctrine stated that, when a...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Supreme Court Lowers Bar to Pleading Prohibited Transactions, Despite “Serious Concerns” of Meritless Litigation

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In a unanimous decision reversing dismissal of prohibited transaction claims based on fees paid to defined contribution plan recordkeepers, the Supreme Court held that ERISA’s prohibited transaction exemptions are affirmative...more

A&O Shearman

Texas court upholds Biden administration’s rule on ESG Investing for ERISA fiduciaries

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In a recent decision by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk ruled that the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2022 Rule (the 2022 Rule) on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)...more

Morgan Lewis

DOL’s VFCP Final Rule Adds Limited ‘Self-Correction’ Program for Late Contributions, Participant Loan Failures

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The Employee Benefits Security Administration recently released its final rule amending and restating the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, along with corresponding amendments to a related class exemption, Prohibited...more

Fenwick & West LLP

Judge Finds American Airlines Breached its Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty by Allowing Investment Manager to Prioritize ESG Goals with...

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On January 10, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas found that American Airlines and its employee benefit committee (EBC) breached their fiduciary duty of loyalty under the Employee Retirement...more

The Wagner Law Group

IRS Provides Guidance on Application of SECURE 2.0 Act’s Coverage of Long-Term, Part-Time Employees

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In Notice 2024-73, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued guidance on the application of certain non-discrimination rules to long-term, part-time employees in Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) Section 403(b) plans subject...more

Alston & Bird

2024 Health Benefits Year: A Year to Remember

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The year was packed with developments for health and welfare benefits plans. Our Health Benefits Team reviews 2024, from new data privacy rules to disaster tax relief....more

SEC Compliance Consultants, Inc. (SEC³)

Advisers’ Year-End Checklist for 2024

Compliance officers love checklists, so we’ve put together some “to dos” to consider completing before the end of the year. Enjoy!...more

Groom Law Group, Chartered

DOL & Treasury Extend Certain ERISA-Related Deadlines for Helene and Milton Impacted Areas

On November 8, the Departments of Labor and Treasury (the “Departments”) issued guidance extending certain deadlines related to retirement, health, and welfare plans in response to Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Helene, and...more

Fisher Phillips

Rising ERISA Class-Action Lawsuits Over Tobacco Surcharges in Health Plans: What Employers Need to Know + 6 Steps to Stay...

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A wave of ERISA class-action lawsuits is challenging tobacco surcharge programs in employer-sponsored health plans across the U.S. These cases center on potential fiduciary breaches, with plaintiffs arguing that surcharges...more

UB Greensfelder LLP

What Employers Should Know About Tobacco Surcharge Litigation

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Tobacco surcharges have become the focus of class action litigation in recent months. Although corporate wellness programs are commonplace, employers that impose a tobacco surcharge (or other premium discount) in connection...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Abortion Rights Ballot Measures Pass in Seven States

On November 5, 2024, seven states approved ballot measures to reaffirm the right to abortion, and three states rejected ballot measures to legalize abortion. These ballot results could have a significant impact on employers...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

The Department of Labor’s Expanded Cybersecurity Guidance: What ERISA Plan Sponsors and Fiduciaries Need to Know

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On September 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Compliance Assistance Release No. 2024-01, titled “Cybersecurity Guidance Update.” The updated guidance clarifies that the DOL cybersecurity guidance applies to...more

Alston & Bird

Class Action & MDL Roundup 2024 Q2 – We Are Administratively Feasible

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Welcome back to the Class Action & MDL Roundup! This edition covers notable class actions from the second quarter of 2024. In this edition, there can be only one claim form for many, broiler chickens are coming home to...more

Foster Swift Collins & Smith

DOL Echoes Employee Benefits and Cybersecurity Best Practices

On April 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”) issued its first cybersecurity best practices guidance for retirement plans. The EBSA guidance was highly...more

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