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Benefits
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July 14, 2025
Ex-NFL Player Asks 5th Circ. To Keep $1.86M Fee Award Intact
The National Football League's retirement plan had a chance to appeal a $1.86 million award of attorney fees to former running back Michael Cloud three years ago in his disability benefits suit, but it chose not to do so, Cloud told the Fifth Circuit in his pushback against the plan's latest appeal.
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July 14, 2025
Aetna, CVS Can't Dodge $21M Payment Battle, Lab Says
A Pennsylvania-based medical laboratory has told a Connecticut federal court its lawsuit against Aetna and its owner, CVS Health Corp., sufficiently accused the companies of failing to pay $20.6 million in invoices.
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July 11, 2025
VA Watchdog Says Burn Pit Claims Denials Still Had Errors
The Veterans Benefits Administration didn't do everything it was supposed to in order to fix concerns a federal watchdog had about veterans who were exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan having their benefits prematurely denied, the watchdog says.
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July 11, 2025
Courts Face Early Push To Expand Justices' Injunction Ruling
In the two weeks since the U.S. Supreme Court curtailed federal judges' ability to issue universal injunctions, Trump administration attorneys have begun pushing to expand the decision's limits to other forms of relief used in regulatory challenges and class actions. So far, judges don't appear receptive to those efforts.Â
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July 11, 2025
Hospitals Used Retirement Forfeitures For Self-Gain, Suit Says
A North Carolina hospital system cost workers millions in savings by using forfeited matched funds in its retirement plan to cover its own contribution obligations instead of reducing plan expenses paid by employees, according to a new proposed class action filed in federal court.
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July 11, 2025
Mo. Halts Paid Sick Leave, Cost-Of-Living Wage Increases
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed a bill repealing paid sick leave benefits and yearly cost-of-living wage increases that were approved by state voters in a ballot initiative.
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July 11, 2025
AT&T Can't Escape Suit Over Pension Plan's Mortality Data
AT&T must face a proposed class action claiming it miscalculated married couples' pension benefits, a California federal judge ruled, saying workers leading the suit provided evidence that the telecommunications company's use of decades-old mortality data and interest rates was unreasonable.
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July 11, 2025
2 Firms Tapped To Lead Regeneron Investor Suit
Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP and Motley Rice LLC have been named lead counsel in a proposed securities class action accusing Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and its executives of misleading investors about its revenue prospects for its vision loss drug and inflating reimbursements.
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July 11, 2025
11th Circ. Won't Reinstate Worker's ERISA Arbitration Award
A divided Eleventh Circuit panel refused to restore a former water treatment company director's arbitration award of about $129,000 on claims that he should've been offered severance when demoted to a consultant, saying an arbitrator erroneously decided a federal benefits law claim the worker never raised.
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July 10, 2025
Univ. of Rochester Sued For 'Excessive' Retirement Plan Fees
The University of Rochester was hit with a proposed class action Wednesday in New York federal court over allegations it caused its $7.2 billion employee retirement program to pay millions in excessive administrative fees.
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July 10, 2025
2nd Circ. Won't Touch Morgan Stanley Deferred Comp Ruling
The Second Circuit refused to upend part of a lower court's ruling that former Morgan Stanley financial advisers' deferred compensation fell within the reach of federal benefits law, saying the financial firm couldn't clear the high bar necessary to undo the decision.
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July 10, 2025
DOL Urges 9th Circ. To OK Toss Of HP 401(k) Forfeiture Suit
The U.S. Department of Labor urged the Ninth Circuit to reject HP Inc. workers' bid to revive a proposed class action alleging forfeited employee 401(k) plan contributions were mismanaged, arguing a lower court properly tossed the case for failure to state a claim for violating federal benefits law.
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July 10, 2025
Stitch Fix Must Face Most Claims In Investor Action
A California federal judge has declined to toss a revised complaint alleging that Stitch Fix Inc. and two of its former executives deceived investors about the impact of a new business line, saying the suit adequately made the case that the defendants knowingly made misleading statements.
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July 10, 2025
Texas Judge Partially Voids DOL's ERISA Rollover Rule
A Texas federal judge partially invalidated an investment advice regulation from President Donald Trump's first administration involving employee retirement savings and rollover transactions, ruling the U.S. Department of Labor exceeded its authority when it handed down a new interpretation of federal benefits law.
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July 10, 2025
5 Employee Benefits Takeaways On The GOP Tax Bill
Congressional Republicans' sweeping tax and policy bill, which President Donald Trump sought and then signed, contains multiple provisions that caught the attention of employee benefits and executive compensation attorneys, including new changes to high-deductible health plans and an employer-side deduction limit affecting highly compensated employees. Here are five takeaways from employee benefits and executive compensation attorneys on what's in — and out of — the GOP megabill.
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July 09, 2025
Iowa Urges Judge Not To Block Law Regulating PBMs
The state of Iowa urged a federal judge Tuesday not to halt enforcement of state restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers that took effect earlier this month, arguing that most of the challenged law doesn't apply to the health plans and employers seeking to enjoin it.
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July 09, 2025
10th Circ. Backs Insurance Co. In Disabled Worker's Fee Fight
The Tenth Circuit declined to revive a disabled worker's suit claiming a life insurance company owed her attorney fees after she successfully challenged its decision to cancel her benefits, ruling that federal law doesn't allow her to sue for legal expenses if a benefit dispute doesn't go to court.
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July 09, 2025
Plan Administrator Seeks To Toss Union's Pension Error Suit
A benefit plan administration company said it shouldn't have to face a lawsuit claiming a union pension fund paid $2.4 million in interest because the administrator paid benefits on the wrong day of the month, arguing in Pennsylvania federal court that it wasn't acting as a fiduciary.
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July 09, 2025
Holland & Knight Insurer's COVID Benefits Denial Upheld
A Colorado federal judge on Wednesday handed an insurance company a win in a Holland & Knight LLP attorney's federal benefits lawsuit alleging she was wrongly denied long-term disability benefits after a COVID-19 infection left her unable to work, concluding substantial evidence supported the insurer's decision.
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July 09, 2025
Wilson Sonsini Adds Cooley Benefits Atty In San Diego
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC is expanding its corporate team, announcing Tuesday it is bringing in a Cooley LLP compensation and benefits expert as a partner in its San Diego office.
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July 09, 2025
FDA Gets Early Win In Blue States' Abortion Pill Suit
A Washington federal judge has granted an early win to the federal government in a lawsuit from 17 Democratic attorneys general challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's restrictions on access to the abortion drug mifepristone, finding the agency has properly reviewed the drug when issuing regulations.
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July 08, 2025
Insurer Fights ACA Loss, Citing Justices' Trans Care Ruling
Premera Blue Cross urged a Washington federal court to rethink an early win it granted against the insurer over its coverage policy for gender dysphoria surgery, arguing the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in U.S. v. Skrmetti is dispositive of a sex discrimination claim in the case.
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July 08, 2025
Macy's Says McLaughlin Ruling Backs Axing DOL's ERISA Suit
Macy's has once again asked an Ohio federal judge to slash a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit claiming the retail company discriminated against tobacco users by charging them an extra fee through its health insurance plan, this time leaning on the U.S. Supreme Court's recent McLaughlin ruling to argue no new lawsuit is required to push aside agency rulemaking.
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July 08, 2025
Omnicare, CVS Tab In FCA Case Increases To $949M
A New York federal judge on Monday raised a False Claims Act judgment against Omnicare and CVS to a combined $949 million following a jury's finding that they submitted millions of false prescription claims for long-term care patients.
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July 08, 2025
Alphabet's $500M Investor Deal Over Compliance Gets 1st OK
A California federal judge gave preliminary approval Tuesday to Google parent Alphabet's Inc.'s settlement with investors alleging that executives engaged in anticompetitive and monopolistic practices, saying she wants to hear shareholders' reactions to Alphabet's agreement to spend $500 million over the next decade building a global regulatory compliance program before she grants final approval.
Expert Analysis
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Firms Still Have The Edge In Lateral Hiring, But Buyer Beware
Partner mobility data suggests that the third quarter of this year continued to be a buyer’s market, with the average candidate demanding less compensation for a larger book of business — but moving into the fourth quarter, firms should slow down their hiring process to minimize risks, say officers at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.
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Opinion
Congress Should Expand Investment Options For 403(b)s
Lawmakers should pass pending legislation to give 403(b) plan participants access to collective investment trusts, leveling the playing field for public sector retirement investors by giving them an investment option their private sector counterparts have had for decades, says Jason Levy at Great Gray Trust Company.
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Think Like A Lawyer: 1 Type Of Case Complexity Stands Out
In contrast to some cases that appear complex due to voluminous evidence or esoteric subject matter, a different kind of complexity involves tangled legal and factual questions, each with a range of possible outcomes, which require a “sliding scale” approach instead of syllogistic reasoning, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity
Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Justices Mull Sex-Based Classification In Trans Law Case
After the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in U.S. v. Skrmetti this week, it appears that the fate of the Tennessee law at the center of the case — a law banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender adolescents — will hinge on whether the majority read the statute as imposing a sex-based classification, says Alexandra Crandall at Dickinson Wright.
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Every Dog Has Its Sick Day: Inside NYC's Pet Leave Bill
In what would be a first-of-its-kind law for a major metropolitan area, a recent proposal would amend New York City's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act to include animal care as an accepted use of sick leave — and employers may not think it's the cat's meow, say attorneys at Morrison Cohen.
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Rethinking Clawback Policies For 2025 Compensation Season
The start of a new year presents an opportunity for companies to reassess their executive compensation clawback policies, and while mandatory Dodd-Frank clawbacks are necessary, discretionary policies can offer companies greater flexibility to address misconduct, protect their reputations and align with shareholder priorities, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Series
Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.
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ERISA Ruling Is A Win For DOL Regulatory Authority
In Rappaport v. Guardian Life Insurance, a New York federal court recently issued a notable disability benefits ruling in finding that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright opinion does not affect how existing U.S. Department of Labor regulations apply in Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.
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Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review
For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Unpacking Arguments From High Court's Rural Hospital Case
During oral arguments in Advocate v. Becerra, the U.S. Supreme Court justices focused questions on the meaning of being "entitled to" supplementary security income assistance, and there's reason for optimism that the likely split decision will break in favor of hospitals, say attorneys at King & Spalding.
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California Supreme Court's Year In Review
Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.
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The Challenges Of Abandoned Retirement Plans In Ch. 7
The Department of Labor's rule for unwinding retirement accounts when plan sponsors file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy was intended to alleviate trustees' administration issues, but practical challenges, like unresolved fee and identification matters, could hinder its implementation, say David Goodrich at Golden Goodrich and Nancy Simons at Stretto.
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Best Practices For Effective Employee Assistance Programs
Employee assistance programs can be a powerful tool for establishing health and wellness initiatives in workplaces, and certain implementation steps can help both employers and workers gain maximum benefit from EAPs, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.
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Series
Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.