Republic Services 401(k) match, vesting and fees
What Republic Services' 401(k) plan says about matching contributions
The Company makes matching contributions equal to 100% of the first 3% and 50% of the next 2% of a participant’s eligible compensation that is contributed as an elective deferral. Matching contributions are funded quarterly. Annually, the Company will make an additional matching contribution on behalf of participants whose matching contributions determined on an annual basis exceed the amount as determined on a quarterly basis.
Quoted directly from the filing. Plan terms may have changed; check your current Summary Plan Description.
Plan features
Indented passages are quoted word for word from the audit report; plan terms may have changed since, so check your current Summary Plan Description.
| Employer match | Quoted from the filing above | 2024 audit report, p. 37 ↗ |
| Match vesting | F. Vesting - Effective January 1, 2009, active and future participants are immediately vested in their voluntary and rollover contributions, and Company profit-sharing contributions, if authorized, plus actual earnings thereon. Participants become 100% vested in the Company’s matching contributions after completion of one or more years of service. If a collective bargaining agreement provides for a different vesting schedule, the vesting schedule in the collective bargaining agreement will apply. Participants that separated from service from the Company prior to January 1, 2009 for reasons other than death, retirement, or disability, vested in the Company’s contributions, plus actual earnings thereon, at 20% per Year of Service up to 100% at five (5) or more years of service. Participants previously with the ESP that were eligible prior to April 12, 2010 became fully vested in the Company’s contributions as of that date. Participants that become eligible after April 12, 2010 vest in the Company contributions portion of their accounts, plus actual earnings thereon, at 20% per Year of Service up to 100% at five (5) or more years of service. Participants previously with the Comprehensive Plan become 100% vested in the Company contributions portion of their account, plus actual earnings thereon, after completion of three or more years of service. G. Forfeitures - In the event employees terminate their employment with the Company before becoming 100% vested, their nonvested employer contribution account is forfeited. Generally, forfeitures are available to pay Plan expenses or reduce future employer matching contributions. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, forfeited non-vested accounts totaled approximately $1,965,000 and $2,101,000, respectively. Forfeited non-vested accounts totaling approximately $2,600,000 and $972,000 were used to reduce employer contributions and pay Plan expenses, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2024. | 2024 audit report, p. 38 ↗ |
| Automatic enrollment | Eligible employees are automatically enrolled for the purposes of making elective deferrals at 3% of eligible compensation 90 days after becoming eligible, unless the employee otherwise opts out of this automatic enrollment. | 2024 audit report, p. 37 ↗ |
| Loans | I. Notes receivable from participants - Generally, participants may borrow from their accounts up to a maximum of the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of their vested account balance, subject to certain restrictions as defined in the Plan. Loan distributions are not subject to tax provided they are repaid as agreed. The terms of the loans are comparable to those the participants could receive at an unaffiliated lending institution. All loan maturities are five years or less unless specifically permitted as described in the Plan document. | 2024 audit report, p. 38 ↗ |
| Recordkeeper | Fidelity Investments Institutional | 2025 Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Cbiz Cpas P.C. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | 2025 Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | 2025 Form 5500 ↗ |
Match, vesting and other plan features are from the plan year 2024 filing's audit report (the latest one extracted so far). Rows cited to the Form 5500 and its schedules are from the plan year 2025 filing.
How the plan compares
Plan year 2025 medians for 49 defined-contribution plans with 10,000 to 49,999 participants.
| Republic Services: employer contribution per participant | $2,346 | |
| Peer median | $2,223 |
| Republic Services: average balance | $74,113 | |
| Peer median | $94,186 |
| Republic Services: admin expenses ÷ assets | 0.09% | |
| Peer median | 0.05% |
Admin expenses are the plan's reported administrative expenses divided by its assets; they do not include fund expense ratios.
Plan history
Plan assets went from $2.1B at the end of plan year 2021 to $3B at the end of plan year 2025.
| Plan year | Participants | Assets | Employer contributions | Per participant | Admin expense ratio | Match formula | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 43,434 | $3B | $94.9M | $2,346 | 0.09% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2024 | 42,086 | $2.7B | $88.4M | $2,173 | 0.12% | Quoted in the audit report, p. 37 ↗ | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2023 | 42,055 | $2.4B | $81.2M | $1,986 | 0.14% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2022 | 37,249 | $1.8B | $70.1M | $1,927 | 0.16% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2021 | 35,085 | $2.1B | $62.6M | $1,894 | 0.14% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
Other Republic Services plans (2)
Each plan files its own Form 5500. Figures are from each plan's latest filing.
Republic Services, Inc. Employee Savings Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Cbiz Cpas P.C. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Terminated (final filing) | Form 5500 ↗ |
Republic Services, Inc. Comprehensive Plan
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Cbiz Cpas P.C. (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | Profit-sharing · Terminated (final filing) | Form 5500 ↗ |
Common questions
Does Republic Services match 401(k) contributions?
The audit report attached to the Republic Services, Inc. 401(k) Plan's plan year 2024 Form 5500, page 37 says: “The Company makes matching contributions equal to 100% of the first 3% and 50% of the next 2% of a participant’s eligible compensation that is contributed as an elective deferral. Matching contributions are funded quarterly. Annually, the Company will make an additional matching contribution on behalf of participants whose matching contributions determined on an annual basis exceed the amount as determined on a quarterly basis.” Plan terms may have changed; check your current Summary Plan Description.
When is the Republic Services 401(k) match vested?
The audit report attached to the plan year 2024 Form 5500, page 38 says: “F. Vesting - Effective January 1, 2009, active and future participants are immediately vested in their voluntary and rollover contributions, and Company profit-sharing contributions, if authorized, plus actual earnings thereon. Participants become 100% vested in the Company’s matching contributions after completion of one or more years of service. If a collective bargaining agreement provides for a different vesting schedule, the vesting schedule in the collective bargaining agreement will apply. Participants that separated from service from the Company prior to January 1, 2009 for reasons other than death, retirement, or disability, vested in the Company’s contributions, plus actual earnings thereon, at 20% per Year of Service up to 100% at five (5) or more years of service. Participants previously with the ESP that were eligible prior to April 12, 2010 became fully vested in the Company’s contributions as of that date. Participants that become eligible after April 12, 2010 vest in the Company contributions portion of their accounts, plus actual earnings thereon, at 20% per Year of Service up to 100% at five (5) or more years of service. Participants previously with the Comprehensive Plan become 100% vested in the Company contributions portion of their account, plus actual earnings thereon, after completion of three or more years of service. G. Forfeitures - In the event employees terminate their employment with the Company before becoming 100% vested, their nonvested employer contribution account is forfeited. Generally, forfeitures are available to pay Plan expenses or reduce future employer matching contributions. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, forfeited non-vested accounts totaled approximately $1,965,000 and $2,101,000, respectively. Forfeited non-vested accounts totaling approximately $2,600,000 and $972,000 were used to reduce employer contributions and pay Plan expenses, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2024.”
Who manages the Republic Services 401(k)?
The recordkeeper listed on Schedule C of the plan year 2025 filing is Fidelity Investments Institutional. The plan administrator is Republic Services, Inc. Employee Benefit Committee.
I left Republic Services. How do I find my old 401(k)?
Your account stays in the plan until you move it. Contact the plan administrator (Republic Services, Inc. Employee Benefit Committee, (480) 627-2700) or the recordkeeper, Fidelity Investments Institutional. The Republic Services old 401(k) page lists the contacts from every plan filing. Find an old Republic Services 401(k)
Data from the public Form 5500 annual reports Republic Services filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (plan years 2021 and 2022 and 2023 and 2024 and 2025) and, where noted, the attached independent auditor's report. Plan terms may have changed since the filing; check your current Summary Plan Description. PlanFacts is not affiliated with Republic Services. Not financial advice. Report a correction · Methodology