George J. Kasper

George J. Kasper is a partner in the Labor, Employment Law and Employee Benefits practice where employers and plan fiduciaries seek his counsel on all types of employee benefit plans, including defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) and 403(b) plans, multiemployer plans, medical benefit plans, cafeteria plans, and disability plans.

Pulling from many years of diverse experience, George designs retirement and health care programs to meet the needs of today’s employers and their workforces.  He has substantial experience with executive compensation issues and drafts non-qualified deferred compensation plans, supplemental executive retirement plans, severance plans, change-in-control agreements and stock-based compensation plans.

Employers seek George's advice to work with them to manage the transition of employees and their benefits during and after a merger or acquisition, as well as ERISA issues stemming from investing in and structuring private equity and similar investments.  He is sought after for his advice to employers and administrative committees on the fiduciary oversight of ERISA plans, including retirement plan investments, appropriate plan expenses, claims for benefits, self-funded health plans, and other plan administration issues.  George has significant experience representing employers on IRS and Department of Labor audits and enforcement actions.

Office

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association - Tax Section, Joint Committee on Employee Benefits 

Connecticut Bar Association - Tax Section Executive Committee, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee (2014-2015)

Society for Human Resources Management, Southern Connecticut Chapter

Greater Bridgeport Bar Association 

New England Employee Benefits Council

Bridgeport Regional Business Council - Health Care Council

Council on Law in Higher Education

International Foundation of Employee Benefits

Community Involvement

Lifebridge Community Services, Inc. - board of directors (2021 - 2023), chairman (2014 - present)

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Fairfield County Chapter - past board member

Connecticut Retirement Security Board - past board member appointed by Governor

Honors & Recognitions

Named a Moffly Media Top Lawyer in Fairfield County, 2021, 2022 - Labor and Employment

Selected to Super Lawyers in Employee Benefits and Tax areas in 2006

Rated BV by Martindale Hubbell, a peer-review rating system for the legal profession

IRS compliance programs

• Represented large retirement plans in a variety of IRS correction program filings involving operational and non-amender failures

• Represented a regional bank before the IRS in compliance procedures necessary to correct prior plan document and administrative failures

• Represented major sports league before the IRS concerning numerous operational failures in its retirement plan, significantly reducing the penalty. Redesigned and redrafted the client’s benefits program

Audits

• Assisted clients in IRS and Department of Labor audits and investigations of retirement plans, ESOPs, and executive compensation arrangements 

• Represented several employers on recent DOL investigations of health plan compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and HIPAA

Executive compensation 

• Advised international sports apparel retailer on the transition of employer benefits, including nonqualified executive deferred compensation plan following sale of the retailer by private equity fund

• Advised clients on the DOL delinquent filer voluntary compliance program (DFVC) and filing of statement for top-hat retirement plan

• Revised clients’ executive compensation programs and documents to comply with Section 409A of the Code

• Review of deferred compensation arrangements in connection with a merger and acquisitions

• Assisted clients in utilizing IRS correction programs for 409A compliance failures

Operations

• Advised numerous 401(k) plan committees regarding adoption of safe harbor formula, and automatic deferral arrangement (ACA, EACA, QACA). Drafted necessary plan amendments and employee communication materials

• Reviewed documentation prepared by mutual fund company and outside consultant for use with individual retirement accounts (IRA)

• Advised global technology company on offering retirement benefits to its U.S. and Puerto Rico resident employees

• Addressed the impact of a health care organizations' controlled group status on compliance with the ERISA and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

• Advised medical practice group regarding impact of acquisitions on retirement and health plans, including application of controlled group and affiliated service group rules under the Internal Revenue Code

• Negotiated terms of group health plan administrative service agreement and stop loss insurance policy for large health care organization

Severance and claims issues

• Reviewed and reworked severance arrangements for numerous tax-exempt clients; revised standard “Change of Control” Agreements and reviewed relevant corporate board materials

• Negotiated settlement of pension eligibility dispute and severance arrangement for U.S.-based executive of international media company securing multi-million dollar pension benefit and severance payment

• Provided support to the firm's ERISA litigation team defending fiduciary breach claim against Executives and Plan Committee of major insurance company

Governmental plans

• Served as a member of the Connecticut Retirement Security Board and assisted with drafting legislation establishing the Connecticut Retirement Security Authority and Marketplace (MyCTSavings).

• Assisted with design and implementation of hybrid (defined benefit-defined contribution) retirement program for a town and its police officers; drafted plan documents

• Regularly review investment of investment offering materials for town pension boards on alternative investment offerings, and negotiate side letters

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Support the firm's business law department attorneys on business acquisitions, mergers and sales transactions, providing due diligence review of employer benefit plans and advising on transactions of benefits, including plan transactions, transfers of mergers. 

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