On May 6, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion upholding California’s “Cal Savers” program, which enables workers whose employers do not sponsor retirement plans to save for their retirement. KR, along with attorneys from the AARP Foundation, co-authored an amicus (friend of the Court) brief supporting California. The brief was submitted on behalf of AARP and several small business and non-profit organizations. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association challenged Cal Savers and claimed that the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preempted the law. KR attorneys Jeff Lewis, Erin Riley, and Rachel Morowitz worked on the brief. 

KR is a leader in helping protect state and municipal laws designed to help fill gaps in private sector employees’ access to retirement and health benefits. Along with the Seattle City Attorney’s office, KR successfully defended Seattle’s ordinance requiring large hotels to improve their employees’ access to healthcare through a variety of means, including additional compensation.