Tag: Supreme Court

Bulletin: U.S. Supreme Court rules on ERISA case

In a unanimous decision favorable to employees, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that individual 401(k) plan participants can sue plan administrators under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) for breach of fiduciary duty. James LaRue had initiated the lawsuit after his employer failed to follow his investment instructions, which he said resulted […]

U.S. Supreme Court Set To Rule On ERISA Case

As of press time, the U.S. Supreme Court was set to rule on a case that could redefine the claims and remedies allowed under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The lawsuit arose after a 401(k) plan participant asked the plan administrator, which was his employer, to change his elections. The participant claimed […]

High Court Defines ‘Charge’ in Age Discrimination

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on the definition of a “charge” of age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Under the ADEA, an employee is required to file a “charge” with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before the dispute is escalated to court. But the term “charge” is not […]

Mishandling 401(k) Accounts Can Lead to Expensive Claims

The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down an important new ruling that could open the floodgates for claims by employees charging that their employers mishandled retirement accounts. The new case involved James LaRue, who filed a lawsuit under ERISA—the federal law that governs employee benefits—claiming that his employer’s failure to follow his investment directions under […]

Supreme Court Rules on ‘Me Too’ Evidence

The U.S. Supreme Court has completed its review of a key Kansas age discrimination case, settling a split between federal courts on the admissibility of “me too” evidence. “Me too” evidence is testimony by non-parties that alleges discrimination at the hands of persons who played no part in the challenged employment decision. In the present […]

Seniority: Do We Have to Bend Our Strict Seniority System to Offer a Reasonable Accommodation?

We have a strict seniority system. Do we have to bump one of our workers to give another employee a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act? — Anonymous    How To Survive an Employee Lawsuit: 10 Tips for Success With lawsuits against employers becoming ever more common—and jury verdicts skyrocketing—your risk of getting […]

Wage and Hour: Do I Have to Pay for Time Employees Spend Going Through Security Screenings and Changing Clothes?

Many of our employees have to spend time at the workplace before and after their actual work. They have lengthy security checks, protective equipment that must be donned, and then a 15-minute ride to their workstations. The employees are saying that they should be paid for all this time, but I don’t think so because […]