New York Secure Choice Savings Program

The New York Secure Choice Savings Program has launched. It is a free, state-run program that requires certain employers to facilitate an automatic-enrollment Roth IRA for employees. 

Employers must take action to either enroll or claim an exemption. If you are impacted, your ArtsPool Workforce Administration Lead will follow up with you to answer questions and outline next steps.

Employer requirements

Employers are required to participate if they:

• Had ten (10) or more employees in New York during the prior calendar year;
• Do not offer a qualified retirement plan (e.g., 401k or 403b); and
• Have been in business for at least two years

Program basics

• Employees are automatically enrolled with the default contribution set as their deferral rate. This means that if the employee does nothing, they will have money deferred from their paycheck into the plan.
• Employees have 30 days to opt out or change contribution and investment selections.
• The default contribution rate is 3% of gross income (up to 10% maximum).
• Employees may opt out at any time and later re-enroll.

Employer responsibilities

Employers are responsible for:

• Registering for the program or claiming an exemption, if applicable
• Informing employees
• Uploading employee information
• Facilitating payroll deductions
• Submitting contribution and payroll data

Employers do not contribute to accounts, manage investments, or assume fiduciary responsibility.

What employers need to do next

Employers will receive notice of their registration obligations by mail or email. However, registration may also be completed proactively through the employer portal. Employers claiming an exemption must also certify it through the portal.

Registration/exemption deadlines are based on employer size:

• 30 or more employees: March 18, 2026
• 15–29 employees: May 15, 2026
• 10–14 employees: July 15, 2026

If you have received notice from New York State, please share it with your ArtsPool Workforce Administration Lead, who can assist with next steps. 

Considering an alternative: ArtsPool's Pooled Employer Plan

If you do not currently offer a retirement plan, now is a good time to consider joining the ArtsPool Pooled Employer Plan (PEP), a qualified 401(k) retirement plan that allows ArtsPool members to certify an exemption from state mandates and offers greater flexibility and value than the New York Secure Choice Savings program.

See the table below for more information on how our plan compares to the New York plan.