Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced the appointment of five new members to the 2012 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, which also is known as the ERISA Advisory Council.

"The security of health and retirement benefits is an issue of tremendous importance to America's workers," said Solis. "The ERISA Advisory Council provides added expertise to the department as it works to enhance and preserve these protections. I am pleased that we have such an outstanding group of professionals joining the 2012 council whose insights will be invaluable in helping us improve benefit security for millions of American workers."

The 15-member council provides advice on policies and regulations affecting employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. By law, members of the council serve for staggered three-year terms. Employee organizations, employers and the general public are represented by three members for each category. Additionally, there is one representative each from the fields of insurance, corporate trust, actuarial counseling, investment counseling, investment management and accounting.