Consumer Agenda for Retirement Security

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

B. Create a Participant Ombudsman Office within the Department of Labor.

There currently is no proactive government office that serves as a resource and advocate for participants in the private retirement system.  Such an office could work to study and identify policy and legal issues affecting participants, and could be a central clearinghouse for providing pertinent information and educational resources for participants.  The office could be located in the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor, but its advisory role should also include recommendations to other government agencies related to the protection of rights of participants.1


Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced the Restoring Pension Promises to Workers Act of 2007 (S. 1725), which would set up an office of Pension Participant Advocacy.  There have been past stand-alone bills on this as well. 

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].