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Last month, Gov. Bill Lee and the counties of Jefferson, Hamilton, Robertson, and Roane issued proclamations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), a landmark law that has protected employee health and retirement benefits for five decades.
But behind the celebrations, Tennessee legislators are quietly advancing laws that threaten to weaken these very protections.
ERISA was designed to provide consistent federal oversight for private-sector retirement and health plans, ensuring that employers safeguard their workers’ benefits. Yet, recent legislative actions in Tennessee seek to undermine this oversight, subjecting businesses to a maze of state-specific regulations that could drive up costs and create uncertainty for employers and employees alike.
“There’s a disconnect here,” says Michael Curcio, Chairman of the Tennessee Employer Benefits Alliance (TEBA). “State leaders are publicly celebrating ERISA’s legacy, while some lawmakers are working to dismantle the protections it provides. Tennessee businesses and workers depend on ERISA’s stability. Weakening it would create chaos and drive up costs.”
The proclamations issued by Jefferson, Hamilton, Robertson, and Roane counties reflect local support for protecting ERISA’s federal safeguards. However, without meaningful action to prevent these legislative efforts from moving forward, Tennessee’s reputation as a business-friendly state will be at risk.
For the past 50 years, ERISA has provided Tennessee businesses with a framework that protects both employers and employees. The proclamations may recognize this, but if lawmakers continue down this path, they will undo decades of progress.
TEBA is calling on Tennessee legislators to stop undermining ERISA and restore the state’s commitment to protecting employee benefits and maintaining a stable business environment.
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