Consumer Agenda for Retirement Security

Initiative #2: Empower workers to promote their own retirement security

Working men and women are frequently frustrated by their inability to effectively claim their earned retirement benefits or to be heard in the public policy process.  Many are unable to understand plan rules or successfully navigate plan procedures.  If they try to enforce their rights in court, they encounter innumerable obstacles, and when they identify problems that should be addressed at a policy level, they do not know where to go. 

The following measures are designed to empower workers by providing them with better information and assistance, and better tools for interacting with their plans and pursuing their rights in the courts, while also giving them a voice in identifying problems with the system and shaping the direction of national retirement income policy.  Some of these proposals can be implemented by government regulations or advocacy by government agencies in the courts.  Others will require legislation.

A. Develop a package of legislative and regulatory proposals to level the playing field for participants in administrative and court proceedings.

B. Create a Participant Ombudsman Office within the Employee Benefits Security Administration.

C. Assure worker and retiree voices on government advisory councils.

D. Expand the Administration on Aging’s (AoA) Pension Counseling and Information Program.

E. Coordinate efforts among Department of Labor field offices and AoA Pension Counseling Projects.

F. Coordinate efforts between the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and AoA Pension Counseling Projects.

G. Establish a clearinghouse for lost retirement plans and for orphan plans.

H. Give participants adequate explanations of benefit eligibility and calculations.

I. Protect employees from unfair “recoupment” actions.

Learn more about the other initiatives in the Consumer Agenda for Retirement Security.

Initiative 1: Promote a more adequate and secure private retirement income system.
Initiative 2: Empower workers to promote their own retirement security.
Initiative 3: Improve retirement savings plans.
Initiative 4: Improve traditional and hybrid pension plans.
Initiative 5: Make retirement plans fairer for workers and their spouses.

Print the Consumer Agenda for Retirement Security [PDF].