The Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act (MPPAA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act’s (ERISA) progeny, can create significant unexpected liabilities for companies that have agreed to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) requiring participation in and contributions to multiemployer-defined benefit pension funds (often referred to as Taft-Hartley Funds). However, a special exemption is available to employers in
CBAs
MULTIEMPLOYER BENEFIT PLANS — REDUCING AN EMPLOYER’S EXPOSURES
Employers with collectively bargained employees need to be aware that the costs of participating in a union sponsored benefit fund (i.e., a multiemployer plan) may be much greater than the negotiated contributions. The greatest exposure commonly comes from withdrawal liability — generally an employer’s pro rata share of a multiemployer pension plan’s unfunded vested benefits…