ERISA & Retirement

Attention Maine employers:

Starting May 1, 2026, benefits become available to Maine employees under the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. Maine’s PFML law provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for medical, bonding, family care, and safety needs. PFML applies to the majority of employers regardless of size…

Federal contractors and subcontractors, take note:

On March 26, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order No. 14398, which requires that a new contract clause be added to all contracts and contract-like instruments with Executive departments and agencies within 30 days, with the goal of prohibiting federal contractors and subcontractors from engaging in “racially discriminatory DEI…

Good news for employers / 401(k) committees overseeing retirement plans.

Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a significant ERISA decision in Trauernicht v. Genworth Financial, Inc., denying class certification in a fiduciary‑breach case challenging the selection and retention of target‑date funds.

The plaintiffs alleged that Genworth’s $900M, 4,000‑participant…

Washington State Employers:

Last Monday, the Governor signed a new law, WA HB 2355, establishing labor protections for domestic workers, which are defined as workers who perform at least four hours of work per month in a private residence as a nanny, childcare provider, home care worker, housekeeper, cook, gardener, or household manager. Certain exceptions…

New Jersey Employers:

Recently enacted legislation expands employee rights under the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). Effective July 17, 2026, the expanded law lowers the employer coverage minimum to 15 employees and reduces employee eligibility requirements to three months of employment and 250 hours worked in the preceding 12 months.

It may also expand…

NYC employers: Sick leave law obligations have been expanded once again.

Under existing law, New York City employers were already required to provide paid sick leave, specifically 56 hours for employers with 100+ employees and 40 hours for employers with fewer than 100 employees.

Under a recently enacted bill, which takes effect February 22, 2026…

ATTENTION NEW YORK EMPLOYERS: New York’s Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program Now Live

On October 8, 2025, New York State announced that the New York’s Secure Choice Savings Program (Program) is officially underway.

The Program requires covered employers to either offer a retirement plan or join a new state-sponsored retirement savings program.

New York now…

Good News for Employers! The 9th Circuit recently confirmed that a plan’s ERISA obligation to provide plan documents upon a participant’s request is limited to those documents that “provide individual participants with information about the plan and benefits.”

The obligation does not extend to documents, such as service agreements, that govern the relationship between the…

WA Employers: As you may be aware, Washington employers with 15 or more employees (whether or not in Washington provided that one employee works in Washington) must disclose the wage scale, salary range, and benefits information in all Washington job postings.

The requirement applies if the position can be filled by a Washington-based employee, including…