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(EBSA)
17.150
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the civil and criminal provisions of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) as well as related provisions of other Federal laws (e.g., Title 18 USC federal criminal statutes). EBSA is also responsible for assuring compliance with the fiduciary responsibility provisions of the Thrift Savings Plan under the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986 (FERSA). The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is committed to educating and assisting more than 153 million workers, retirees and their families covered by approximately 801,000 private retirement plans, 2.6 million health plans, and 514,000 other welfare benefit plans holding approximately $13.6 trillion in assets; as well as plan sponsors and members of the employee benefits community. EBSA balances proactive enforcement with compliance assistance and works diligently to provide quality assistance to plan participants and beneficiaries. It is the policy of EBSA to provide the highest quality of service to its customers. EBSAs mission is to assure the security of the retirement, health and other workplace related benefits of America's workers and their families. We will accomplish this mission by developing effective regulations; assisting and educating workers, plan sponsors, fiduciaries and service providers; and vigorously enforcing the law.
This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the
administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.
For more information on each of these data sources, please see the
About the data page.
In FY 2016, EBSA utilized an aggressive outreach, education, and participant assistance program to inform the public of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized a number of different approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis to achieve program results. In addition, the economic research program continued to study economic issues affecting all employee benefits programs. EBSA’s approach to promoting benefits security in FY 2016 was developed and implemented in response to public concerns, the Agency’s experience with civil and criminal investigations, participant inquiries, research, and trends and vulnerabilities identified in the private sector.
In FY 2017, EBSA utilized an aggressive outreach, education, and participant assistance program to inform the public of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized a number of different approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis to achieve program results. In addition, the economic research program continued to study economic issues affecting all employee benefits programs. EBSA’s approach to promoting benefits security in FY 2017 was developed and implemented in response to public concerns, the Agency’s experience with civil and criminal investigations, participant inquiries, research, and trends and vulnerabilities identified in the private sector.
In FY 2018, EBSA utilized an aggressive outreach, education, and participant assistance program to inform the public of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized a number of different approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis to achieve program results. In addition, the economic research program continued to study economic issues affecting all employee benefits programs. EBSA’s approach to promoting benefits security in FY 2018 was developed and implemented in response to public concerns, the Agency’s experience with civil and criminal investigations, participant inquiries, research, and trends and vulnerabilities identified in the private sector.
In FY 2019, EBSA utilized an aggressive outreach, education, and participant assistance program to inform the public of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized a number of different approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis to achieve program results. In addition, the economic research program continued to study economic issues affecting all employee benefits programs. EBSA’s approach to promoting benefits security in FY 2019 was developed and implemented in response to public concerns, the Agency’s experience with civil and criminal investigations, participant inquiries, research, and trends and vulnerabilities identified in the private sector.
In FY 2020, EBSA utilized an aggressive outreach, education, and participant assistance program to inform the public of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized a number of different approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis to achieve program results. In addition, the economic research program continued to study economic issues affecting all employee benefits programs. EBSA’s approach to promoting benefits security in FY 2020 was developed and implemented in response to public concerns, the Agency’s experience with civil and criminal investigations, participant inquiries, research, and trends and vulnerabilities identified in the private sector.
In FY 2021, EBSA utilized outreach, education, and participant assistance program to inform the public of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized a number of different approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis to achieve program results. In addition, the economic research program continued to study economic issues affecting all employee benefits programs.
EBSA held 2,159 outreach events, including seminars and workshops reaching 318,858 individuals who were informed of their rights and benefits as well as to educate the regulated community regarding their responsibilities and obligations under the law. EBSA programs utilized several approaches to ensuring employee benefits were protected, including national/regional enforcement priorities and projects, voluntary compliance programs, civil/criminal litigation, and research-based analysis. As a result, there were 197,000 inquiries, 326 investigations opened from inquiry referrals, and $444.1 million in benefits recovered through informal complaint resolution.
Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):
For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.
OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.
