In a 49-page opinion issued last week, Judge Analisa Torres of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted class certification to a group of women alleging that Goldman Sachs systemically and pervasively discriminated against female professional employees in violation of Title VII and the New York City Human Rights
UNANIMOUS SUPREME COURT DECISION IN FAVOR OF “CHURCH PLAN” DEFENDANTS
Today, the Supreme Court handed a long-awaited victory to religiously affiliated organizations operating pension plans under ERISA’s “church plan” exemption. In a surprising 8-0 ruling, the Court agreed with the Defendants that the exemption applies to pension plans maintained by church affiliated organizations such as healthcare facilities, even if the plans were not established by
UPDATE ON UNIVERSITY SECTION 403(b) CASES: INCONSISTENT RULINGS
As a result of rulings on motions to dismiss within a day of each other (May 10 and 11, 2017, respectively), Emory University and Duke University must continue to defend claims challenging aspects of their Section 403(b) retirement plans in plaintiffs’ proposed class actions: Henderson v. Emory Univ., N.D. Ga., No. 1:16-cv-02920-CAP; and Clark
SUPREME COURT HEARS “CHURCH PLAN” ERISA CLASS ACTION CASES
On Monday, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in the consolidated “church plan” cases, Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton, St. Peter’s Healthcare System v. Kaplan, and Dignity Health v. Rollins. As an initial matter, unless the Senate confirms Neil Gorsuch in the very near future, the case will be decided by
DISGORGEMENT CLAIMS CONTINUE TO CONFOUND COURTS IN ERISA CLASS ACTIONS
Courts continue to be split over the availability of disgorgement and “accounting for profits” in ERISA class actions involving in-house investment plans. On March 3, 2017, in Brotherston v. Putnam Investments, LLC, No. 1:15-cv-13825-WGY (D. Mass. March 3, 2017), the court declined to resolve the dispute at the summary judgment stage, allowing the certified
ANOTHER ERISA CHURCH PLAN CLASS ACTION SETTLES
Citing to the “significant uncertainties in predicting the outcome” of their litigation “where the critical issue is pending before the Supreme Court” (oral argument on the scope of ERISA’s church plan exemption is set in three consolidated cases for March 27), Plaintiffs in Butler et al. vs. Holy Cross Hospital, another church plan class
Class Arbitration of ERISA Claims: Yes You Can!
ERISA neither expressly nor impliedly prohibits mandatory arbitration of claims. Numerous courts that have analyzed the purpose of both ERISA and the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) have held that ERISA claims are arbitrable. And while the Supreme Court has not spoken directly to the issue, the Court’s pro-arbitration jurisprudence under the FAA – culminating with