News & Analysis as of

Retirement Plan 401k Environmental Social & Governance (ESG)

Goodwin

Minding the Store: Unanticipated ESG Issues Affecting ERISA Fiduciary Supervision

Goodwin on

A recent summary judgment decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in an ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) class action challenging the alleged impact of environmental, social,...more

Mayer Brown

Northern District of Texas Expands Fiduciary Exposure by Permitting ESG Proxy Voting Theory to Go to Trial

Mayer Brown on

Case Name and Number: Spence v. American Airlines, Inc., et al., No. 4:23-cv-00552 - INTRODUCTION - On June 20, 2024, Judge Reed O’Connor in the Northern District of Texas (the “court”) denied a motion for summary...more

Mayer Brown

Decision Alert: Northern District of Texas Expands Fiduciary Liability To Cover Non-ESG Fund Managers’ ESG-Related Conduct

Mayer Brown on

Case Name and Number: Spence v. American Airlines, Inc., et al., No. 4:23-cv-00552 - Introduction - On February 21, 2024, Judge Reed O’Connor in the Northern District of Texas (the “Court”) denied a motion to dismiss an...more

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

American Airlines Moves to Dismiss Suit Challenging Inclusion of ESG Funds in Retirement Plan

In August 2023, American Airlines, Inc. moved to dismiss a class action lawsuit filed against the airline for allegedly jeopardizing employees’ retirement savings by investing in environmental, social and governance (ESG)...more

Jones Day

Congressional Republicans and State Attorneys General Challenge Biden Administration's ESG 401(k) Rule

Jones Day on

Republicans at the state and federal levels are challenging a Biden administration rule (the "Rule") intended to walk back Trump-era regulations restricting the ability of retirement fund managers to consider climate change...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Biden vetoes ESG proposal overturn

If your Department of Labor (DOL) proposes a rule, as President, you’re not likely to throw them under the bus and overrule them. In a move that surprised no one, President Joe Biden used his first veto to preserve a...more

BakerHostetler

The Growing Threat to ESG Initiatives

BakerHostetler on

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

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Avoid the nonsense about anti-ESG rhetoric

My wife forwarded me an op-ed piece, criticizing the Biden administration rule change on ESG investments in 401(k) plans. Obviously, the person writing it doesn’t understand how 401(k) plans work. ...more

Miller Canfield

ERISA and ESG: Less Confusion?

Miller Canfield on

​​​​​​​Last year the Department of Labor (“DOL”) proposed changes to ERISA regulations that govern the consideration of environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors in retirement plans, as well as fiduciary...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

Littler

DOL Issues Final Rule for ERISA Fiduciaries Considering Socially Conscious Investments

Littler on

Employers offering 401(k) and similar retirement plans should familiarize themselves with a new rule published by the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor, Prudence and Loyalty in...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

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Advisors Advantage - December 2022

Ideas To Increase 401(k) Event Attendance - Getting 401(k) plan sponsors and plan providers to attend in-person live events were difficult before COVID. Since COVID, it’s been close to impossible to get decent attendance...more

Kilpatrick

DOL Opens ESG Door: What Does It Mean for Plan Fiduciaries?

Kilpatrick on

Department of Labor (“DOL”) Secretary Walsh recently announced final regulations in a blog post titled “Removing Barriers to Considering ESG Factors in Retirement Plan Investments.” While the rules open the door to more...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

Paul Hastings LLP

DOL Releases Final Regulation with Respect to ESG Investing

Paul Hastings LLP on

Over the last few years, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (the “DOL”) guidance and rulemaking with respect to considering environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors in Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

‘Tis the Season… to Consider ESG Investments in Your 401(k) Plan

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

We recently summarized the regulatory back and forth of the past few years relating to environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) factors and their impact on ERISA retirement plans and the fiduciaries that...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

ESG rule finalized

The Department of Labor (DOL) has finished its ESG rule for retirement plans and sent it to the White House for final approval....more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

ESG Considerations for Retirement Plans: A Moving Target

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

For those with an eye on ERISA and its fiduciary rules, the past few years have caused whiplash when it comes to environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) investments in retirement plans....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

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

I don’t get the push for ESG

While the Biden-led Department of Labor (DOL) has given the green light for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) funds within 401(k) plans, I don’t get the push....more

Kilpatrick

401(k) Plan Investments: ESG, Private Equity and Cryptocurrency

Kilpatrick on

Many employers desire to offer innovative investments in their 401(k) plans as a way to enhance the plan’s value, attract talent and appeal to a younger workforce. But decisions regarding investment options are subject to...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

PEPs are already niche, do we need niche PEPs?

Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) are in my mind, a nice product. For most of the time, it’s not the right fit. So I don’t understand why anyone would create a PEP for a niche purpose, such as a commitment to ESG investments. Do...more

Morgan Lewis - ML Benefits

Department of Labor Waves Caution Flag for 401(k) Private Equity Investing

The Department of Labor (DOL) delivered a surprise holiday gift on December 21, 2021 to fiduciaries of participant-directed 401(k) plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as...more

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints

The Department of Labor’s ESG Proposed Rule: A Retirement Committee Perspective

A recently proposed Department of Labor regulation entitled “Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights” (the “Proposal”) addresses the duties of retirement plan fiduciaries when...more

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