Benefits

  • August 27, 2024

    11th Circ. Allows Fla. Law Banning Trans Care To Take Effect

    The Eleventh Circuit has said a Florida law can take effect that bans gender-affirming care for transgender minors and restricts it for adults, granting the state's bid to scrap an injunction barring the law while it appeals a lower court ruling that found the statute unconstitutional.

  • August 27, 2024

    6th Circ. Reverses Geico's Win In Agents' Benefits Suit

    The Sixth Circuit upended Geico's win in a lawsuit from insurance agents accusing it of misclassifying them as independent contractors and forcing them to lose out on benefits, saying more evidence is needed to determine if the insurer relied on unauthentic documents to get the suit tossed.

  • August 27, 2024

    Vt. High Court Affirms Denial Of Benefits To Marijuana Patient

    The Vermont Supreme Court has affirmed an administrative law judge's decision not to issue a declaratory ruling whether off-duty medical cannabis use counts as misconduct for the purposes of terminating and denying benefits to a former transportation company employee.

  • August 26, 2024

    Banks' $20M Platinum Traders Antitrust Deal Gets Initial OK

    A New York federal judge preliminarily approved Saturday a $20 million deal to resolve a nearly decade-old putative class action alleging Goldman Sachs, German industrial company BASF and two other banks fixed platinum and palladium prices.

  • August 26, 2024

    Funds Say Norfolk Southern Can't Ditch Derailment Fraud Suit

    Pension funds have told a Georgia federal judge that they've laid out in exacting detail their allegations that Norfolk Southern eroded safety standards by embarking on risky cost-cutting moves and slashing its workforce, culminating in last year's fiery derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and ultimately backfiring on investors.

  • August 26, 2024

    Siemens Misused 401(k) Plan Funds, ERISA Class Claim Says

    The global technology and manufacturing giant Siemens Corp. wrongfully used forfeited 401(k) retirement plan assets to reduce the company's contributions instead of using the money to pay plan expenses, according to a proposed class action filed Friday in New Jersey federal court.

  • August 26, 2024

    Former X Worker Seeks Class Certification In Bonus Suit

    A former X Corp. employee asked a California federal court to greenlight an approximately 2,200-member class in his lawsuit alleging the company reneged on promised bonuses after Elon Musk took over the social media company formerly known as Twitter.

  • August 26, 2024

    Insurer Wants Out Of Pa. Wig Widow's $4.5M Benefit Dispute

    Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. asked a Pennsylvania state court to let it bow out of a dispute between a Pittsburgh wig and healthcare magnate's widow and his family partnership, arguing Monday that the court, not the insurer, had to choose between competing claims for a $4.5 million policy payout.

  • August 26, 2024

    Paul Hastings Recruits Executive Comp Atty From Kirkland

    Paul Hastings LLP announced Monday it has landed an executive compensation lawyer from Kirkland & Ellis LLP as a partner for its Chicago office.

  • August 23, 2024

    Prime Healthcare's 401(k) Was In Good Hands, Judge Rules

    Prime Healthcare Services Inc. beat a proposed class action in a bench trial over claims it allowed its employee 401(k) plan to be saddled with poor-performing investments and high costs, after a California federal judge ruled that the plan was prudently managed.

  • August 23, 2024

    NJ Ups Fee Cap In Workers' Comp Cases, Boosts Judges' Pay

    New Jersey Senate President and current acting Gov. Nick Scutari, a practicing attorney, signed two bills into law increasing pay for Superior Court presiding judges and county prosecutors, and increasing the cap on how much attorneys can collect in fees in workers' compensation cases.

  • August 23, 2024

    MLB Says Exec's Retirement Benefit Beef 2 Decades Too Late

    Major League Baseball has struck back at one of its former executives who alleges he is owed $5.9 million, saying his suit makes no argument that would support his claim the league erroneously calculated his retirement benefits.

  • August 23, 2024

    1st Circ. Says Longshoremen Local Still On Hook For $1.7M

    The International Longshoreman's Association pension fund is entitled to collect nearly $1.7 million in unpaid contributions and attorney fees from a union local in San Juan, Puerto Rico, following a merger with another local that had been in arrears, the First Circuit has ruled.

  • August 23, 2024

    Union 401(k) Plan Trustees Strike $5M Deal To End ERISA Suit

    Two elevator workers asked a Pennsylvania federal court to sign off on a $5 million settlement that would wrap up a proposed class action alleging their union's retirement plan was loaded with excessive administrative fees and shoddy investment options.

  • August 23, 2024

    Georgia IP Firm Settles Attorney's Wrongful Firing Suit

    A Georgia attorney and the Atlanta-based intellectual property firm where he used to work have reached a settlement ending the attorney's lawsuit alleging the firm violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by cutting his hours and then firing him after he returned from his annual two-week tour of duty with the Air Force Reserve.

  • August 22, 2024

    PBMs Can't Yet Duck Municipalities' Claims In Opioid MDL

    The Ohio federal judge overseeing multidistrict opioid litigation on Thursday refused, for now, to throw out claims against pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts Inc. and OptumRX Inc., finding that the PBMs' arguments were brought too early and a more robust record is needed.

  • August 22, 2024

    9th Circ. Revives Military Bias Claims Against Alaska Airlines

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday revived a class action alleging Alaska Airlines illegally denied accrued vacation and sick time to pilots on military assignments, saying the case now has the benefit of a decision from the court in a similar case involving the airline.

  • August 22, 2024

    Calif. Panel Backs Arbitration Denial In Staffing Co. Wage Suit

    A California state appeals court refused to ship to arbitration a worker's lawsuit accusing a staffing agency of unlawfully miscalculating his sick leave wages, saying the arbitration pact he signed promised that all Private Attorneys General Act claims will be litigated in court.

  • August 22, 2024

    Casino Co., Workers Agree To Sweeping Class In 401(k) Suit

    Caesars Holdings and a group of workers told a Nevada federal court Thursday they'd agreed to the certification of a class that could cover tens of thousands of participants in Caesars' $1.6 billion 401(k) plan who allegedly had their retirement savings mismanaged.

  • August 22, 2024

    Army Adviser Gets 12 Years For Scamming Gold Star Families

    A former New Jersey financial counselor with the U.S. Army and a major in the U.S. Army Reserve was sentenced to 151 months in prison after pleading guilty to defrauding Gold Star families and other related crimes, the U.S. attorney's office announced.

  • August 21, 2024

    Conn. Justices Back Insurer's Out-Of-Network Patient Bills

    The Connecticut Supreme Court on Wednesday limited an emergency physician group's attempt to require a medical insurer to shoulder patient costs under the state's surprise medical billing law, holding that insurers can charge patients for shared costs, such as deductibles and copayments, at lower levels without violating consumer protection laws.

  • August 21, 2024

    Northern Trust's $2.5M Deal Approved In AutoZone 401(k) Suit

    A Tennessee federal judge on Wednesday granted preliminary approval to a $2.5 million deal to end class claims from participants in AutoZone's 401(k) employee plan who alleged Northern Trust shirked its duties as their 401(k)'s investment adviser.

  • August 21, 2024

    Union Health Plan Trustees Can't Avoid Fee Claim, Judge Says

    Trustees of a UNITE HERE health plan can't topple a group of Southern California workers' claims that they are facing higher administrative expenses compared to another group of workers in Las Vegas, an Illinois federal court ruled Wednesday.

  • August 21, 2024

    VA Tells High Court Veterans' PTSD Claims Correctly Rejected

    The federal government urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to overturn decisions denying two veterans' claims for post-traumatic stress disorder benefits, saying lower courts properly refused to reconsider evidence whether the vets deserved the benefit of the doubt.

  • August 21, 2024

    9th Circ. Doubts Idaho Trans Health Ban Doesn't Discriminate

    The Ninth Circuit appeared reluctant Wednesday to give the state of Idaho a green light for a prohibition on gender dysphoria treatment for minors, with judges vocally skeptical of the state's argument that the policy didn't discriminate based on sex.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Roundup

    After Chevron

    Author Photo

    In the month since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 26 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Opinion

    FIFA Maternity Policy Shows Need For Federal Paid Leave

    Author Photo

    While FIFA and other employers taking steps to provide paid parental leave should be applauded, the U.S. deserves a red card for being the only rich nation in the world that offers no such leave, says Dacey Romberg at Sanford Heisler.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

    Author Photo

    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Air Ambulance Ruling Severely Undermines No Surprises Act

    Author Photo

    A Texas federal court's recent decision in Guardian Flight v. Health Care Service — that the No Surprises Act lacks a judicial remedy when a health insurer refuses to pay the amount established through an independent review — likely throws a huge monkey wrench into the elaborate protections the NSA was enacted to provide, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

    Author Photo

    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

    Author Photo

    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

    Author Photo

    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • What DOL Fiduciary Rule Means For Private Fund Managers

    Author Photo

    Attorneys at Ropes & Gray discuss how the U.S. Department of Labor's recently released final fiduciary rule, which revises the agency's 1975 regulation, could potentially cause private fund managers' current marketing practices and communications to be considered fiduciary advice, and therefore subject them to strict prohibitions.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

    Author Photo

    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • High Court's Abortion Pill Ruling Shuts Out Future Challenges

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine maintains the status quo for mifepristone access and rejects the plaintiffs' standing theories so thoroughly that future challenges from states or other plaintiffs are unlikely to be viable, say Jaime Santos and Annaka Nava at Goodwin.

  • Emerging Trends In ESG-Focused Securities Litigation

    Author Photo

    Based on a combination of shareholder pressure, increasing regulatory scrutiny and proposed rulemaking, there has been a proliferation of litigation over public company disclosures and actions regarding environmental, social, and governance factors — and the overall volume of such class actions will likely increase in the coming years, say attorneys at Mintz.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Benefits archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!