US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

CENTRAL LABORERS' PENSION FUND v. HEINZ et al., 541 U.S. 739

Subscribe to Cases that cite 02-891

Digest of Decision: https://chanrobles.com/usa/541/739/

Read Full Text of Decision: https://chanrobles.com/usa/541/739/case.php

-->

CENTRAL LABORERS' PENSION FUND v. HEINZ
et al.

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT

No. 02-891. Argued April 19, 2004--Decided June 7, 2004

Respondents (collectively, Heinz) are retired participants in a multiemployer pension plan (hereinafter Plan) administered by petitioner. Heinz retired from the construction industry after accruing enough pension credits to qualify for early retirement payments under a "service only" pension scheme that pays him the same monthly benefit he would have received had he retired at the usual age. The Plan prohibits such beneficiaries from certain "disqualifying employment" after they retire, suspending monthly payments until they stop the forbidden work. When Heinz retired, the Plan defined "disqualifying employment" to include a job as a construction worker but not as a supervisor, the job Heinz took. In 1998, the Plan expanded its definition to include any construction industry job and stopped Heinz's payments when he did not leave his supervisor's job. Heinz sued to recover the suspended benefits, claiming that the suspension violated the "anti-cutback" rule of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which prohibits any pension plan amendment that would reduce a participant's "accrued benefit," ERISA §204(g), 29 U. S. C. §1054(g). The District Court granted the Plan judgment on the pleadings, but the Seventh Circuit reversed, holding that imposing new conditions on rights to benefits already accrued violates the anti-cutback rule.

Held: ERISA §204(g) prohibits a plan amendment expanding the categories of postretirement employment that triggers suspension of the payment of early retirement benefits already accrued. Pp. 3-11.


Full Text of Opinion







chanrobles.com



ChanRobles Legal Resources:

ChanRobles On-Line Bar Review

ChanRobles Internet Bar Review : www.chanroblesbar.com

ChanRobles MCLE On-line

ChanRobles Lawnet Inc. - ChanRobles MCLE On-line : www.chanroblesmcleonline.com