Pension Underfunding Burdens Will Fall On Future North Dakota Public Employees
In a new Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes about the impact of North Dakota’s decision to close their main public employee pension plan due to underfunding. While legislators may see closing the plan as a quick fix, examples from other states such as Alaska and Michigan show that the consequences of this change could be dire. The move could lead to increased costs, challenges in recruitment and retention, and reduced retirement security for future North Dakota employees.
Statement on Efforts in Alaska to Restore Pension Benefits to Address Grave Workforce Shortage
Alaska’s effort to restore a pension plan for public workers represents meaningful progress in addressing one of the state’s most pressing challenges: attracting and retaining a stable, experienced public workforce. While Governor Dunleavy has vetoed the legislation, the fact that the measure passed both the House and Senate demonstrates a growing recognition that retirement benefits are not just about retirement security — they also are an essential workforce management tool.
