Council Member Biography
Mark Johnson, PhD, is the President of ERISA Benefits Consulting in Texas, where he focuses on labor law, labor relations, personnel policy, ERISA and the management, financing, regulation of pension, 401(k), group life and health and retiree medical plans. During his distinguished career, Dr. Johnson has negotiated group life and health, disability, pension and 401(k) plans with unions; created new pension, 401(k) and group life and health in response to changing employer/employee needs, collective bargaining agreements or as part of mergers, acquisitions and spinoffs; designed and implemented early retirement bridge programs and voluntary severance plans; directed the ERISA appeals process with authority to decide all pension, group life and health and 401(k) cases; and managed pension plans with over $10 billion dollars in assets. He has served at the director level with operational and financial responsibility for 20 qualified plans, negotiated with five unions, and has done proceedings before the EEOC, NLRB and the National Mediation Board, and federal and state court litigation. Previously, Dr. Johnson was a Managing Director, Benefits Compliance and Pensions at American Airlines and was an attorney at Southwestern Bell Corporation. He has served as an expert witness in approximately 50 federal and state court cases involving pension, 401(k) ESOP, group life and health, active and retiree medical plans; including class action cases involving nationally known employees. (This is me - Update Profile)
Employment History
- 2001 - Unspecified
- President & Founder, ERISA Benefits Consulting, Inc.
- 1995 - 2001
- Managing Director, Benefits Compliance&Pensions, AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC
- 1992 - 1995
- Counsel, Benefits Compliance, AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC
- 1987 - 1992
- Attorney, AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC
- 1983 - 1987
- Attorney, AT&T INC.
GLG NewsSM Analyses by Mark Johnson
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Florida Pension Proposal Is More Aggressive & Realistic
February 3, 2011
Pension Overhaul Urged | www6.lexisnexis.com
Florida Governor Rick Scott has proposed a major overhaul of the pension system for public employees. His proposal requires current employees to contribute 5% of pay into the system, closes the defined benefit plan to new hires and ends the "Retirement Option Program", a practice which permits employees to retire, draw a pension and be rehired in another capacity. The Governor's office estimates a 2 year savings of $2.8 billion dollars. There are 655,000 active employees in the System.
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Focusing on Public Pension Plans
July 16, 2010
raising the standard | www.pionline.com
The Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) invited public comment on proposed revisions to its accounting standard for public retirement programs. Critics, including Crain Publications "Pensions & Investments" editorial board, criticize GASB for favoring the current system, not bringing the public standard more in line with the corporate standard and GASB's structure and approach to standards for the public sector generally; arguing the current approach has contributed to the crises.
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Limited Funding Relief For Defined Benefit Plans
June 28, 2010
Obama Signs Pension Relief Bill | www.plansponsor.com
Added to recent legislation designed to postpone a 21% cut in doctors' Medicare reimbursements until December, was limited relief for underfunded DB plans. For any two plan years between '08-'11, shortfalls can be amortized for 15 years, or interest paid only for 2 years. Projections are this could save plan sponsors $129 billion over the next 7 years. Additional contributions would be required if an electing sponsor paid "excess" or "extraordinary" executive compensation.
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Multi-Employer Pension Liability and the PBGC
June 23, 2010
Auto Makers Support Alternative - Fuel Measures | www.wsj.com
Multi-employer defined benefit plans are common in the trucking and construction industries. Unrelated employers contribute based on the number employees with contribution rates set by collective bargaining. Multi-employer plans have the unique problem of "withdrawal liability", i.e. unfunded liability caused by employers exiting the plan, usually through bankruptcy or dissolution. This "orphan liability" burdens remaining employers who are often unable and understandably unwilling to bear it.
GLG Study Groups with Mark Johnson(?)
| Study Group Name | No. Members |
|---|---|
| Business Process Outsourcing Experts | 1765 |
| Labor Law and Negotiation Experts: Lawyers (US) | 115 |
GLG Live Meetings with Mark Johnson(?)
GLG Webcasts & Teleconferences
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