The addition of a mandatory retirement plan for private employers in New York state as well as New York City represents just the latest in this growing trend of retirement plan dictates. The idea took seed back in 2012 with California taking the lead (of course!) and first exploring the notion of enacting a state mandated program. The Golden State enacted the Secure Choice Program – now known as CalSavers – back in 2016. But they were not the first to adopt it – Oregon mandated a year earlier that all private employers offer a retirement plan or enroll their employees in OregonSaves and launched the program in 2017. At this time, eight other states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington, and now New York have passed legislation establishing state plans for private employees while another 33 states are now considering similar legislation. There is a wave of retirement savings plan legislation rippling across the country and it behooves all small businessmen and women to be aware of this reality.  The Illinois Secure Choice Program went into effect in 2018; Connecticut is refining its implementation schedule and could launch a pilot program very soon; and a number of other states are roughly in the same place from a design/implementation timeline, so we will work to keep you will advised on the issue.