Blogs & Newsletters
Stop scapegoating public workers
Since the beginning of the economic downturn we’ve seen a lot of stories in the news about the decline in the funding status of pension plans. Given that pension plans are heavily invested in the stock market, real estate and other assets that have lost significant value in the economic downturn, it would follow suit […]
The Office gets a 401(k) reality check
It isn’t uncommon to hear people comparing NBC’s hit television show, The Office, to their own workplaces. Many of the events on the show mirror what happens in offices across the country. But for many people last night’s episode hit a little too close to home. In case you didn’t catch the episode, a vice […]
An Exciting Day for PRC
The Pension Rights Center had a very exciting day on Tuesday as we joined with three other groups to unveil a new initiative called Retirement USA. Together with the Economic Policy Institute, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and Service Employees International Union, we presented principles that would provide the basis for a […]
The Big 100: A somber milestone
Earlier this week, the Pension Rights Center’s list of companies that have suspended their 401(k) matching contributions reached 100. The companies on this list are big and small. The list includes the Big Three automakers, various auto parts suppliers, a dry cleaning chemical manufacturer, a wave of newspaper publishers and even a small county in […]
Retirement plan rules trump divorce decree
The Supreme Court recently ruled that a retirement plan could follow its own rules even if they were inconsistent with the terms of a divorce decree. The decision is an important one, not just because of the legal precedent that it sets, but also because it serves as an important warning to anyone who has […]
The test of time
In my work here at the Pension Rights Center, one of my responsibilities is to update the list of companies that have suspended matching 401(k) contributions. This week I’ve had to add more than 15 companies to this list. Even worse, some of these companies are suspending matching 401(k) contributions and freezing their traditional pensions, […]
Taking a few steps back
A new report from the Congressional Research Service shows that we still have a long way to go when it comes to ensuring that American workers are covered by workplace retirement plans. In fact, we’ve taken a few steps back. According to the report: Fewer private-sector workers were offered a workplace retirement plan in 2006 […]
Leveling the playing field
Today, President Obama signed three executive orders aimed at “leveling the playing field” for workers and the labor movement. We at the Pension Rights Center have a few ideas of our own on how President Obama can level the playing field when it comes to the nation’s retirement income system. Initiative #2 of our Consumer […]
A history of pensions in six minutes
The two stars of this entertaining video give us their unique – and accurate – take on the history of pensions and what led companies to ask for pension funding relief in the financial bailout. Watch the video and let us know what you think.
What happens to my pension if my employer declares bankruptcy?
I recently came across a helpful Department of Labor fact sheet – Your Employer’s Bankruptcy – How Will It Affect Your Employee Benefits? Given the current state of the economy, it’s never too early for workers to know what might happen to their benefits if their employer goes bankrupt. The fact sheet highlights the important […]
Three companies do “the right thing”
It isn’t every day you that hear a company say that providing a 401(k) match is the “right thing to do” for its employees. Nope, you don’t hear it that often – especially during an economic downturn that many have compared to the Great Depression. So, when I heard that Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group reinstated […]
Getting back on track
At the Pension Rights Center our happiest moments come when people receive their pensions, sometimes after many years of trying. Thanks to the new Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008, signed into law on December 23rd, Rose Colon, a former spouse of a railroad retiree, will finally receive her survivor annuity. Most of […]
