The Give Retirement Options to Workers Act (Grow Act) was introduced by representatives Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) and Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) on February 14, 2018. According to reports, provisions of the Grow Act were included in alternate versions of the House's CARES Act proposal signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020.
The GROW Act proposes to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to authorize a new "composite" multiemployer pension plan (a similar proposal is included in a provision of the MPRRP, as described above). Under the GROW Act employer contributions to a composite plan are set at a fixed rate. Benefits are based on a formula, paid to participants in the form of life annuities (except for benefits that may be immediately distributed from certain plans with a low value), and may be reduced based on the plan's funded status. Plan sponsors who adopt a composite plan must take corrective actions through a realignment program whenever the plan's projected funded ratio falls below 120% for the plan year. The realignment program may include measures such as benefit reductions or proposed contribution increases. A composite plan is not covered by the PBGC or required to pay PBGC premiums. Plan sponsors are also not subject to liability for withdrawing from the plan.