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Williams Mullen’s Benefits Companion provides employers with critical information regarding their benefits plans. From ESOPs to pension plans, from health plans to stock-based compensation, severance agreements and more, our attorneys and guests provide listeners with tips, tricks and key takeaways to consider within the world of employee benefits.
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On this episode of Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt talks with Caroline Susie of MercerWELL about the rise of GLP-1 medications. They discuss how these drugs work, why they’re transforming weight loss, and the tough questions employers face—from whether to cover them, to managing costs, to what else is needed to best support a healthier workforce. Whether you’re an HR leader, benefits administrator, or simply curious about the changing landscape of employee health, this episode offers practical guidance on navigating one of the most pressing topics in workforce benefits today.
With growing interest in alternative investments—from private equity and digital assets to ESG—defined contribution plan sponsors face both fresh opportunities and heightened scrutiny. In this episode of Williams Mullen’s Benefits Companion, Brydon DeWitt is joined by Beryl Ball, Principal Financial Advisor at CAPTRUST, to explore how plan sponsors can assess these emerging asset classes, weigh participant demand, and use tools such as self-directed brokerage windows. They also examine the implications of President Trump’s August 7, 2025, executive order, which directs the Department of Labor, SEC, and Treasury to revisit ERISA guidance, develop potential safe harbors, and lower litigation risks for offering alternatives in 401(k) plans.
On this episode of Williams Mullen’s Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Christian Mosier, president of BenX Consulting Group, to explore what’s really driving benefit strategy for midsize employers heading into 2026. We’ll explore the rising interest in self-funding and group captives, as well as the growing demand for pharmacy benefit transparency, especially in the wake of high-cost drugs. Plus, we’ll talk about how benefits—like mental health support, PTO, and even contribution strategy—are becoming critical retention tools in a competitive labor market.
Thinking about succession planning, employee engagement, or selling your business? On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Nona Massengill, a partner focusing on Executive Compensation. Nona demystifies Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) from a business owner’s perspective. She breaks down what an ESOP is (and what it’s not), who can implement one, and how these plans can create meaningful tax advantages and culture-building opportunities for companies taxed as corporations.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses prohibitive gag clauses under the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA). While intended to promote transparency, not all gag clauses are obvious. With new guidance from the Department of Labor now in effect, what exactly must plan administrators do to comply? From identifying problematic provisions to submitting the required attestations, we break down the practical and legal implications of this evolving compliance requirement.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt unpacks the growing legal controversy surrounding the use of forfeitures in retirement plans. With numerous lawsuits recently filed, plan sponsors and administrators are facing heightened scrutiny—and potential liability—over how forfeited funds are handled. We’ll discuss the evolving guidance from the Department of Labor, and what these lawsuits could mean for your fiduciary responsibilities.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Ken Barnes, vice president of investment consulting at SageView Advisory Group, who discusses the recent federal ruling against American Airlines, which has set a precedent that could reshape how corporate fiduciaries approach investment oversight and governance. They’ll explore why fiduciary duty to loyalty is under scrutiny and best practices for plan sponsors to avoid similar lawsuits.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses big changes to contributions to retirement plans under SECURE 2.0 that begin in 2025. He covers the new “Super Catch-Up” contributions for 2025 and the required Roth catch-up contributions for high earners coming in 2026.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) positively impacting employers in 2025. He covers what’s new with reporting requirements designed to reduce the administrative burden on businesses and the subsequent implications of these changes for human resource professionals and benefits administrators.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Kyle Wingfield, a partner in Williams Mullen’s Tax Section, who discusses the recently announced IRS tax relief for residents impacted by Hurricane Helene. Brydon also discusses ways employers may provide financial relief to Hurricane victims through their retirement plans.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the recent IRS guidance regarding provisions under the SECURE 2.0 Act which allows employers to make matching contributions on account of employees' qualified student loan payments under section 401(k) plans, section 403(b) plans, SIMPLE IRA plans, and governmental section 457(b) plans.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Laura Windsor, chair of Williams Mullen’s Labor, Employment and Immigration Section, who discusses two hot issues: non-competes and independent contractors. Are non-competes really banned? What are alternative solutions? Is having an independent contractor agreement enough? What are the potential penalties for misclassification? They’ll also reflect upon the August 20th federal judge ruling that blocked the FTC’s ban on non-compete clauses.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses pending court cases regarding the proper use of forfeitures that arise under defined contribution plans. He outlines how these new developments present potential conflicts and liabilities that employers and fiduciary committees need to consider.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses the new IRS guidance regarding certain exceptions to the 10% early distribution tax under IRC 72(t). He will share background on emergency personal expense and domestic abuse victim distribution exceptions, any limitations, and steps plan administrators should take to ensure they are complying with this guidance.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Ken Barnes, senior investment consultant with SageView Advisory Group, who discusses lifetime income products which are designed to help retirees arrange for a more predictable income stream throughout the entirety of their retirement. They discuss the forms of lifetime income products, legislation that paved the way for these offerings and what plan sponsors need to consider when deciding to offer lifetime income products.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Nichole Labott, managing director at SageView Advisory Group, who shares the impact recordkeeper consolidation is having on our industry. They discuss what’s at stake for retirement plan participants and steps plan administrators should consider to protect participants and their company.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt discusses a recent ERISA class action case, Lewandowski v. Johnson & Johnson et al., that is a wake-up call for plan fiduciaries managing health and welfare benefit plans. He will discuss the case allegations and possible best practices that plan fiduciaries should consider as we enter a new era of increased litigation.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Beryl Ball, principal financial advisor at CAPTRUST, who shares her insight on leveraging some of the more popular and beneficial offerings from SECURE 2.0 Act including student loan repayments, emergency savings accounts and others.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Ali Pino, a principal and retirement plan consultant with Spherient Advisors, who explains what plan fiduciaries need to understand about retirement plan fees, challenges she sees with fee disclosures and best practices to determine fee reasonability.
On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Beryl Ball, Principal Financial Advisor at CAPTRUST, who offers insight on ESG investing by Retirement Plans and what benefits administrators need to know to stay compliant given recent court rulings.
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