LAW7 800 - Retirement Security

Historically, retirement has been funded, directly or indirectly, through savings from the retiree’s working years. These benefits include both pension income and health benefits. In an era of international competition, employer funding for increasing numbers of retirees, and their dependents, and for more years in retirement, has become a heavy financial burden which threatens the competitiveness of American industry. How have employers responded? As employer cost-saving measures threaten the financial well-being of thousands of American workers, the adequacy of legal regulation intended to protect workers’ earned benefits is being called into question. This seminar will examine how these rules, primarily the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), have worked in protecting employer-funded retirement income and retiree health benefits and in relation to government-funded benefits, including Social Security, Medicare and plans operated by State and local governments.

Credits: 3