You have the responsibility to protect the interests of workers and retirees who participate in retirement savings plans if you’re a private-sector employer who decides to provide a plan. Federal law sets standards of conduct for fiduciaries, meaning those individuals and/or entities who manage private-sector retirement plans and their assets.

You may wish to hire an outside professional, sometimes called a third-party service provider, to manage some or all of your plan's day-to-day operations, or you may choose to use an internal administrative committee or human resources department to do so. Regardless of approach, if you offer employees a retirement savings plan, you have fiduciary responsibilities.

Questions? We’re here to help.

We are committed to helping you understand your responsibilities as an employer. Many questions about benefit plans may be answered by using the following elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors:

For additional assistance, please contact:

  • Your nearest Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) regional office, or call toll free 1-866-444-3272

All discussions with us are free and confidential.

Learn about EBSA