Robert Webb, a member of the firm’s Labor, Employment and Benefits practice group, was quoted in “Pension plan choices may shrink,” which appeared in the
Boston Globe on March 25. The article discusses a law that took effect last year in which underfunded pension plans may be forced to limit lump-sum payments and suspend cost-of-living increases for retirees. Companies will need to make drastic decisions about their pension plans, and Robert points out that the law requires companies to cut back on some benefits that employees may have counted on. He said the restrictions are intended to act as a “safety valve” to ease pressure on underfunded plans.