Bass, Berry & Sims | Practices

Practices Matters Clients Attorneys Newsletters	Employee Benefits Bass, Berry & Sims has one of the most experienced and sophisticated employee benefits practices in the Southeast. The attorneys in our Employee Benefits practice represent businesses, governmental units and other clients of all sizes in a wide range of employee benefit matters, with particular expertise in plan design, implementation and administration, employee benefits litigation, mergers and acquisitions, worker classification and independent contractor issues, and downsizing. The Employee Benefits practice is complemented by attorneys in other practice areas of the firm. For example, we work closely with our labor attorneys on issues that overlap both areas, such as severance pay, downsizing, collective bargaining, COBRA, family leave laws, and age and disability discrimination. We also work closely with our litigation attorneys in complex ERISA litigation matters and with our corporate attorneys in matters such as mergers and acquisitions and the design and implementation of stock option plans and executive compensation programs. Our attorneys work with clients in the design, drafting, implementation, amendment, termination and administration of all types of employee benefit plans and compensation arrangements, including: Health, life, disability and other welfare benefit plans Cafeteria plans, including health and dependent care flexible spending accounts Voluntary employees' beneficiary associations (VEBAs) Health savings accounts (HSAs) Pension and profit sharing plans 401(k) plans Supplemental executive retirement plans and other non-qualified deferred compensation plans, including Section 409A compliance Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and other stock bonus plans Multiemployer plans and other collectively bargained plans Stock option plans, including incentive stock option plans Employee stock purchase plans Severance and golden parachute agreements The Employee Benefits Practice Area also has substantial experience in advising employers on compliance with ERISA's fiduciary responsibility rules, including compliance with the prohibited transaction rules, structuring and documenting the employer's fiduciary responsibility allocations to minimize fiduciary liability exposure and drafting prudent investment procedures. << top < back

Employee Benefits

Bass, Berry & Sims has one of the most experienced and sophisticated employee benefits practices in the Southeast. The attorneys in our Employee Benefits practice represent businesses, governmental units and other clients of all sizes in a wide range of employee benefit matters, with particular expertise in plan design, implementation and administration, employee benefits litigation, mergers and acquisitions, worker classification and independent contractor issues, and downsizing. The Employee Benefits practice is complemented by attorneys in other practice areas of the firm. For example, we work closely with our labor attorneys on issues that overlap both areas, such as severance pay, downsizing, collective bargaining, COBRA, family leave laws, and age and disability discrimination. We also work closely with our litigation attorneys in complex ERISA litigation matters and with our corporate attorneys in matters such as mergers and acquisitions and the design and implementation of stock option plans and executive compensation programs.

Our attorneys work with clients in the design, drafting, implementation, amendment, termination and administration of all types of employee benefit plans and compensation arrangements, including:

Health, life, disability and other welfare benefit plans
Cafeteria plans, including health and dependent care flexible spending accounts
Voluntary employees' beneficiary associations (VEBAs)
Health savings accounts (HSAs)
Pension and profit sharing plans
401(k) plans
Supplemental executive retirement plans and other non-qualified deferred compensation plans, including Section 409A compliance
Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and other stock bonus plans
Multiemployer plans and other collectively bargained plans
Stock option plans, including incentive stock option plans
Employee stock purchase plans
Severance and golden parachute agreements

The Employee Benefits Practice Area also has substantial experience in advising employers on compliance with ERISA's fiduciary responsibility rules, including compliance with the prohibited transaction rules, structuring and documenting the employer's fiduciary responsibility allocations to minimize fiduciary liability exposure and drafting prudent investment procedures.

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