Women and Pensions

The Impact of Ms. Murphy’s Law

Paul KennyPensions Ombudsman

IWLA Conference, July 2009

What the Pensions Ombudsman Does Investigate complaints & disputes concerning

Occupational pension schemes Personal Retirement Savings Accounts Trust RACs

Completely independent office/impartial adjudicator

Can give financial redress to individuals where they have lost through

maladministration of a pension scheme or PRSA

Can decide questions of fact or law

Powers

• To require production of information, documents, etc (if not legally privileged)

• To examine witnesses, administer oaths

• To apply for Circuit Court Order to compel

• To State a case to the High Court

Lookback

• Lookback depends on when the event happened:– If before 28 April, 2003 to a date not more

than 6 years before the 2002 Act• In effect, 13 April 1996

– If after 28 April 2003, either• Six years from the event; or• Three years from the date on which complainant

knew, or ought to have known….

Who can Complain?

an actual or potential beneficiary a member or a former member of a scheme a surviving dependant of a member who has

died a person claiming to be a member or a

surviving dependant a contributor to a PRSA or Trust RAC a personal representative of a member or

contributor a widow or widower of a member or contributor

who has died- A complaint may be made through a representative

Against Whom? Former / trustee Former / employer Former / PRSA provider Other category to be prescribed- regs. Regulations: “Administrator” includes persons

Providing administration service To whom S.59 duties delegated Interpreting or applying scheme rules To whom PRSA provider has delegated

Regulations not amended for “registered Administrator” (2009) – not required

What can they complain about?

• Maladministration (which can be hard to define) in relation to a pension scheme, PRSA. Etc

• Financial Loss as a resultBUT NOT

– Compliance with the Pensions Act (BOARD)– Equal Treatment (Equality Tribunal)– Most self-employed pensions and Disability

Plans (FSO)

Internal Disputes Resolution

Complaint in writing to “Relevant Person” trustees (OPS/Trust RAC) Minister (Public Authority) Provider (PRSA)

Determination in writing Conditions to be met

Trustees can decide structure of IDR procedure appropriate to scheme

IDR result not binding

Exceptions and Waiver

• IDR not required if – Scheme in Winding –up– Complaint already heard by Pensions Board– PO decides investigation appropriate AND

IDR not appropriate

• Process can be “exhausted within its terms” after the expiry of the 3-month deadline or such later date as PO decides

Investigations• Preliminary Examination

• Lots of complaints outside Terms of Reference

• Referrals to the Ombudsman, Financial Services Ombudsman, Pensions Board, DSFA Pensions, etc

• Decision on whether to go for full investigation

Mediation – the Preferred Option

• Mediation is faster than full investigation/ determination

• Determination invariably means someone is unhappy

• Many cases are closed by explanation• Better communication would avert

some of these

Investigation Completed

• May give “Preliminary View”• Indicate likely conclusions• Invite all parties to comment – deadline• This may alter the course of the investigation

• Final Determination– binding on all parties, subject to appeal to the High

Court within 21 days

Enforcement, appeals and CriminalProsecution

• One appeal dismissed in 2007• Two appeals ongoing….• One appeal “settled” - oddly• Prosecutions for obstruction of Investigations• Enforcement of orders to furnish information• Enforcement of Determinations

– complainant or Minister

Women and Complaints

• Only about 25% of complainants are women

• Possibly because under-represented in pension schemes generally

• -or because benefits not yet mature

Women and Complaints - 2

– Many complaints by women result from previous discrimination:

• Late entry to schemes• Exclusion on marriage in Public Sector• Exclusion of part-timers, seasonal workers, fixed-

term contract and temporary staff

– Employment and Pensions Legislation now requires equal or pro-rata treatment

• Delays in implementation• Maladministration

Maladministration

• Calculation and notification of cost of buy-back• Failure to deal properly with spouses’/children’s

liability• Failure to deal properly with purchase of added

years• Delays in payment /administration of benefits• “Abatement” of pension on return to employment

Dependants’ Benefits

• Mortality Benefits not available in CWPS owing to non-remittance of contributions

• Impact of discretionary decisions– “wishes” letters

• Pension Adjustment Orders – defects– not just in contingent benefits– Orders may not cover all benefits in public

service– Interpretation –Relevant benefit in payment

Other Problems• Discrimination in Social Welfare system

– Part-timers who contributed to a pension scheme may get a lower unemployment benefit!

– Because P60 earnings net of contribution– Not intentional, result of drafting of regulations

• Non-Irish nationals and opt-out -can hit dependants

• Treatment of “new entrants” to public service

Not all complaints are serious- to start with

• Some should never get to my office, but escalate due to– Poor communication – both ways– Lack of knowledge – Failure to take complaint seriously

• Example – woman regarded as on “contract for services” – not employee– Help from SCOPE Section– Decision as a matter of fact– Pension awarded

Complaint Handling

• How complaints are handled initially will dictate where and how they finish up

• It’s important that the complainant feels s/he is being taken seriously

• Failure to reply is disastrous

What Happens when a person Complains?

• Does the Complaint Handler….– Lend a sympathetic ear?– Attack the complainant?– Call in the PI Insurer?– Actually look for the facts?– Agree that s/he has a case?– Apologise?– Refer the complainant to IDR?

The Role of the Apology

• Remember that sometimes an apology is enough

• Complainants need to feel they are being listened to

• Failure of the scheme /administrator /trustee to reply will escalate the problem

• People who feel they are not taken seriously feel aggrieved– And complain to an Ombudsman– Or sue

Women

• Are slow to complain• Are tenacious when they do• Are slow to accept what they don’t

understand• Are accepting of a reasoned

explanation

Office of the Pensions Ombudsman

• 36 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2

• Telephone: 01 647 1650

• Fax: 01 676 9577

• Web; www.pensionsombudsman.ie

• E-mail: info@pensionsombudsman.ie