In response, nearly one-quarter of employers plan to make changes to their automatic feature in 2012, including an automatic contribution escalation feature and increasing the initial default rate.

FORBES: Future of Retirement: Surprisingly Optimistic

Under the new law, if a company uses automatic enrollment and wants to get out of the nondiscrimination test, it need only give a 3% contribution to a worker who saves 5%.

FORBES: Must You Work Until You Drop?