The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) protects employees who receive welfare or retirement benefits from their employers. Specifically, ERISA protects your savings from abuse and entitles you to information about your plan. But sometimes, employers fail...
ERISA
The potential consequences of an ERISA violation
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act provides several protections for those who receive benefits from their employers. For example, Houston companies that are covered by ERISA must tell employees how a retirement plan or pension is funded or what its key...
Insurance companies must abide by ERISA rules
A Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 court ruling may allow Texas residents greater access to insurance coverage for substance abuse and mental health treatment. The ruling was made by a California judge in Wit v. United Behavioral Health. The case...
Court Lowers Bar to Collect Benefits
The standard of review utilized by a district court in a denial of benefits case can be outcome determinative. Either the court will examine the administrative record and make its own determination as to a participant's eligibility for benefits (the de novo standard)...
ERISA – New Regulations
The Department of Labor recently strengthened the procedural safeguards governing claims for disability benefits provided by employee benefit plans. The new regulations are designed to ensure that all claims and appeals for disability benefits are given a full and...
Appealing a denied disability benefits claim
If you have a non-worked related injury and can no longer work, you'll need long-term disability benefits. It's not an easy process and it can be more stressful when your employer or insurance company denies your claim. You may feel at a loss, but remember that you...
Over $1 billion recovered for workers in 2017
During fiscal year 2017, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, or EBSA, closed 1,707 civil cases. Furthermore, there were 1,303 applications to take part in the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program. The Abandoned Plan Program was able to return $27.9...
GE accused of making millions off 401(k) participants’ loss
Many workers in Texas invest for retirement through their employer-sponsored 401(k) plans. A possible class-action lawsuit emerging against General Electric Co. illustrates the harm caused when plan managers ignore fiduciary duties. Participants in GE's plan, which is...
DOL backs employee seeking retirement benefits
Texas auto workers may be interested to learn that, on July 28, the Department of Labor filed an amicus brief that supported a Chrysler Group LLC retiree who was seeking to recover enhanced early retirement benefits. According to the court documents, the retiree was...
Supreme Court decision could affect church hospital employees
Catholic hospitals and other employers in Houston and around the nation are paying close attention to a case involving retirement plans that's scheduled to be heard before the United States Supreme Court. Pension plans affiliated with church hospitals are regularly...