ERISA'S DARK SIDE: RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS, FALSE
EMPLOYER PROMISES AND THE PROTECTIVE JUDICIARY
HENRY H. ROSSBACHER, ESQ.
JAMES S. CAHILL, ESQ.
LINDA L. GRIFFIS, ESQ.
ROSSBACHER & ASSOCIATES
Union Bank Plaza, 24th Floor
445 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, California 90071
213/895-6500
[As printed in the DePaul Business Law Journal, Volume 9, Number 2, Spring/Summer 1997, at p. 305]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
I. INTRODUCTION
II. THE ENSHRINEMENT OF THE ERISA PLAN DOCUMENT AS AN INDEFEASIBLE BAR TO THE CREATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
A. INTRODUCTION
B. THE PLAN CLAIM
1. The Lack of Vesting
2. The Written Employer "Waiver"
3. The Prohibition of Non-Plan Evidence
4. Summary Plan Descriptions as "the Contract"
5. Conflicting Plan Provisions and Promises
6. The External Contract
C. CONTRACT CLAIMS SUMMARIZED
III. THE REFUSED OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP OR IMPLEMENT FEDERAL COMMON LAW AS A METHOD TO ENFORCE EMPLOYER PROMISES
A. EMPOWERMENT OF THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY TO APPLY FEDERAL COMMON LAW DOCTRINES IN ERISA DISPUTES
1. The Reach of Preemption
2. A Fraud Defense?
3. Avoiding Preemption
4. Preemption Triumphant
B. THE LIMITATION OF THE FEDERAL COMMON LAW OF ESTOPPEL IN THE ERISA CONTEXT
1. Estoppel - Equitable and Promissory
2. The Ninth Circuit Test
C. SUMMARY OF COMMON LAW CLAIMS
IV. THE UNCERTAINTY OF CLAIMS BASED ON ERISA BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY
A. THE SCOPE OF FIDUCIARY DUTIES AND REMEDIES
1. Pre-Varity Litigation
2. The Varity Decision
3. Post-Varity Litigation - Lockheed
4. ERISA Prevents Interference with Welfare Benefits - Inter-Modal
B. TWO EXEMPLARS
1. The Unisys Case
2. The Fischer Litigation
C. COMMON ASPECTS OF FIDUCIARY CASES
V. CONCLUSION
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
FEDERAL CASES
Aiken v. Policy Management Systems Corp.
13 F.3d 138 (4th Cir. 1993) 35
Alday v. Container Corp. of America
906 F.2d 660 (11th Cir. 1990)
cert. denied 498 U.S. 1026
111 S.Ct. 675 (1991) 2, 12, 25, 35
Alexander v. Primerica Holdings, Inc.
967 F.2d 90 (3d Cir. 1992)
on remand 811 F.Supp. 1025 (D.N.J. 1993)
mandamus grant'd 10 F.3d 155 (3d Cir. 1993) 2, 11, 22
Anderson v. Alpha Portland Industries, Inc.
836 F.2d 1512 (8th Cir. 1988)
cert. denied, Anderson v. Slattery Group, Inc.
489 U.S. 1051, 109 S.Ct. 1310 (1989) 11, 12
Anweiler v. American Elec. Power Service Corp.
3 F.3d 986 (7th Cir. 1993) 41, 42
Armistead v. Vernitron Corp.
944 F.2d 1287 (6th Cir. 1991) 35
Armstrong v. Jefferson Smurfit Corp.
30 F.3d 11 (1st Cir. 1994) 41
Averhart v. U.S. West Management Pension Plan
46 F.3d 1480 (10th Cir. 1994) 36
Bachelder v. Communications Satellite Corp.
837 F.2d 519 (1st Cir. 1988) 36
Berlin v. Michigan Bell Telephone Co.
858 F.2d 1154 (6th Cir. 1988) 43
Bidlack v. Wheelabrator Corp.
993 F.2d 603 (7th Cir. 1993) (en banc)
cert. denied 510 U.S. 909, 114 S.Ct. 291 (1993) 24
Biggers v. Wittek Industries, Inc.
4 F.3d 291 (4th Cir. 1993) 9
Bixler v. Central Pennsylvania
Teamsters Health & Welfare Fund
12 F.3d 1292 (3d Cir. 1993) 41, 43, 55
Black v. TIC Investment Corp.
900 F.2d 112 (7th Cir. 1990) 35
Bower v. Bunker Hill Co.
725 F.2d 1221 (9th Cir. 1984) 24
Boyer v. Douglas Components Corp.
986 F.2d 999 (6th Cir. 1993) 11, 13, 21
Branch v. G. Bernd Co.
955 F.2d 1574 (11th Cir. 1992) 35
California Div. of Labor Standards Enforcement
v. Dillingham Const., N.A., Inc.
___ U.S. ___, 117 S.Ct. 832 (1997) 3
Carlo v. Reed Rolled Thread Die Co.
49 F.3d 790 (1st Cir. 1995) 28
Casey v. Uddeholm Corp.
32 F.3d 1094 (7th Cir. 1994)
on remand 1995 WL 680154
(N.D. Ill. Nov. 13, 1995) 27
Christopher v. Mobil Oil Corp.
950 F.2d 1209 (5th Cir. 1992)
cert. denied 506 U.S. 820, 113 S.Ct. 68 (1992) 28
Cinelli v. Security Pacific Corp.
61 F.3d 1437 (9th Cir. 1995) 21
Coleman v. Nationwide Life Ins. Co.
969 F.2d 54 (4th Cir. 1992) 35
Consolidated Beef Industries, Inc.
v. New York Life Ins. Co.
949 F.2d 960 (8th Cir. 1991)
cert. denied 503 U.S. 985, 112 S.Ct. 1670 (1992) 28
Corcoran v. United Healthcare, Inc.
965 F.2d 1321 (5th Cir. 1992) 41
Curcio v. John Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co.
33 F.3d 226 (3d Cir. 1994) 42
Curtiss-Wright Corp. v. Schoonejongen
514 U.S. 73, 115 S.Ct. 1223 (1995)
on remand 66 F.3d 312 (3d Cir. 1995) 2, 7, 8, 14, 17, 28
Degan v. Ford Motor Co.
869 F.2d 889 (5th Cir. 1989) 3, 29
DeVoll v. Burdick Painting, Inc.
35 F.3d 408 (9th Cir. 1994)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1381 (1995) 2, 35
Drennan v. General Motors Corp.
977 F.2d 246 (6th Cir. 1992)
cert. denied 508 U.S. 940, 113 S.Ct. 2416 (1993) 41, 43
Eddy v. Colonial Life Ins. Co. of America
919 F.2d 747 (D.C. Cir. 1990) 41, 43
Edwards v. State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co.
851 F.2d 134 (6th Cir. 1988) 14, 35
Farr v. US West, Inc.
58 F.3d 1361 (9th Cir. 1995) 31, 41
Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Bruch
489 U.S. 101, 109 S.Ct. 948 (1989) 4, 26, 33
Fischer v. Philadelphia Elec. Co.
96 F.3d 1533 (3d Cir. 1996)
cert. denied, Herbert L. Fischer
v. Philadelphia Electric Company
___ U.S. ___, ___ S.Ct. ___
1996 WL 757411 (Mar. 17, 1997) 54, 56
Fischer v. Philadelphia Elec. Co.
994 F.2d 130 (3d Cir. 1993)
cert. denied 510 U.S. 1020
114 S.Ct. 622 (1993) 40, 43, 52-57
Forbus v. Sears Roebuck & Co.
30 F.3d 1402 (11th Cir. 1994)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 906 (1995) 31
Fort Halifax Packing Co., Inc. v. Coyne
482 U.S. 1, 107 S.Ct. 2211 (1987) 1
Franchise Tax Board of State of Cal.
v. Construction Laborers Vacation
Trust for Southern California
463 U.S. 1, 103 S.Ct. 2841 (1983) 26
Gable v. Sweetheart Cup Co., Inc.
35 F.3d 851 (4th Cir. 1994)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1442 (1995) 2, 9, 11,
12, 20
Gill v. Moco Thermal Industries, Inc.
981 F.2d 858 (6th Cir. 1992) 12
Golden v. Kelsey-Hayes Co.
73 F.3d 648, 654-55 (6th Cir. 1996)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 117 S.Ct. 49 (1996) 8
Gonzales v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America
901 F.2d 446 (5th Cir. 1990) 32
Greany v. Western Farm Bureau Life Ins. Co.
973 F.2d 812 (9th Cir. 1992) 36, 37
Gridley v. Cleveland Pneumatic Co.
924 F.2d 1310 (3d Cir. 1991)
cert. denied 501 U.S. 1232, 111 S.Ct. 2856 (1991) 35
H.J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Telephone Co.
492 U.S. 229, 109 S.Ct. 2893 (1989) 58
Hansen v. Continental Ins. Co.
940 F.2d 971 (5th Cir. 1991) 14, 35
Heasley v. Belden & Blake Corp.
2 F.3d 1249 (3d Cir. 1993) 27
Heckler v. Community Health Services
of Crawford County, Inc.
467 U.S. 51, 104 S.Ct. 2218 (1984)
cert. denied Community Health Services of
Crawford County v. Travelers Insurance Companies
474 U.S. 1056, 106 S.Ct. 795 (1986) 34
Heidgerd v. Olin Corp.
906 F.2d 903 (2d Cir. 1990) 14, 35
Helwig v. Kelsey-Hayes Co.
93 F.3d 243 (6th Cir. 1996)
cert. denied ___U.S. ___, 117 S.Ct. 690 (1997) 11, 20
Helwig v. Kelsey-Hayes Co.
93 F.3d 243, 248 (6th Cir. 1996)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___
117 S.Ct. 690 (1997). 11
Herrmann v. Cencom Cable Associates, Inc.
978 F.2d 978 (7th Cir. 1992) 14
Holsey v. Unum Life Insurance
Company of America
___ F.Supp. ___, 1997 WL 60820
(E.D. Mich., February 11, 1997) 46
Howe v. Varity Corp.
36 F.3d 746, 752 (8th Cir. 1994)
cert. granted, Varity Corp. v. Howe
___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1792 (1995)
aff'd, ___ U.S. ___, 116 S.Ct. 1065 (1996) 5, 7, 33, 42
Howe v. Varity Corp.
896 F.2d 1107 (8th Cir. 1990)
appeal after remand, 36 F.3d 746
(8th Cir. 1994), opinion clarified
41 F.3d 1263 (8th cir. 1994)
cert. granted, Varity Corp. v. Howe
___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1792 (1995)
aff'd, ___ U.S. ___, 116 S.Ct. 1065 (1996) 7, 8, 12, 20
Hozier v. Midwest Fasteners, Inc.
908 F.2d 1155 (3d Cir. 1990) 10, 35
Hudson v. Delta Airlines, Inc.
90 F.3d 451 (11th Cir. 1996)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, ___ S.Ct. ___
1997 WL 73511 (Feb. 24, 1997) 14
In re Unisys Corp. Retiree Medical Ben.
ERISA Litigation
18 EBC 1257 (E.D. Pa. 1994) 6
In re Unisys Corp. Retiree Medical Ben.
ERISA Litigation
57 F.3d 1255 (3d Cir. 1995)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 116 S.Ct. 1316 (1996) 40, 42,
48, 55, 56
In re Unisys Corp. Retiree Medical Ben.
ERISA Litigation
58 F.3d 896 (3d Cir. 1995) 2, 10-12, 19-21, 36-38, 47
In re Unisys Corp. Retiree
Medical Ben. ERISA Litigation
___ F.Supp. ___, 1997 WL 115390
(E.D. Pa. March 10, 1997) 48-51, 56
Inter-Modal Rail Emp. Ass'n v.
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rlwy. Co.
___ S.Ct. ___, 1997 WL 235079 (May 12, 1997)
(No. 96-491), reversing in part
80 F.3d 348 (9th Cir. 1996) 8, 10, 19, 47
International Union, United Auto.,
Aerospace, and Agr. Implement
Workers of America (UAW) v. Yard-Man, Inc.
716 F.2d 1476 (6th Cir. 1983)
cert. denied 465 U.S. 1007, 104 S.Ct. 1002 (1984) 8
J. Geils Band Employee Ben. Plan
v. Smith Barney Shearson, Inc.
76 F.3d 1245 (1st Cir. 1996)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 117 S.Ct. 81 (1996) 50
Jensen v. SIPCO, Inc.
38 F.3d 945, 949 (8th Cir. 1994)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1428 (1995) 12, 14,
20, 21
John Morrell & Co. v. United Food and Commercial
Workers Intern. Union, AFL-CIO
37 F.3d 1302 (8th Cir. 1994)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 2251 (1995) 9, 11, 12
Kane v. Aetna Life Ins.
893 F.2d 1283 (11th Cir. 1990)
cert. denied 498 U.S. 890, 111 S.Ct. 232 (1990) 36
Krishan v. McDonnell Douglas Corp.
873 F.Supp. 345 (C.D. Cal. 1994) 14, 18, 19, 38
Kunin v. Benefit Trust Life Ins. Co.
910 F.2d 534 (9th Cir. 1990)
cert. denied 498 U.S. 1013, 111 S.Ct. 581 (1990) 27
Kuntz v. Reese
760 F.2d 926 (9th Cir. 1985)
vacated on other grounds
785 F.2d 1410 (9th Cir. 1986)
(per curiam) cert. denied 479 U.S. 916 (1986) 29
Kurz v. Philadelphia Elec. Co.
96 F.3d 1544 (3d Cir. 1996) 54
Kurz v. Philadelphia Elec. Co.
994 F.2d 136 (3d Cir. 1993)
cert. denied Philadelphia Elec. Co.
v. Fischer, 510 U.S. 1020
114 S.Ct. 622 (1993) 40, 54
Kwatcher v. Massachusetts Service
Employees Pension Fund
879 F.2d 957 (1st Cir. 1989) 26
Land v. Chicago Truck Drivers, Helpers
and Warehouse Workers Union
(Independent) Health and Welfare Fund
25 F.3d 509 (7th Cir. 1994) 2
Lea v. Republic Airlines, Inc.
903 F.2d 624 (9th Cir. 1990) 33
Lee v. Burkhart
991 F.2d 1004 (2d Cir. 1993) 36
Lockheed Corp. v. Spink
___ U.S. ___, 116 S.Ct. 1783 (1996)
on remand 105 F.3d 1320 (9th Cir. 1997) 5, 46
Maez v. Mountain States Tel. and Tel., Inc.
54 F.3d 1488 (10th Cir. 1995) 42
Marx v. Loral Corp.
87 F.3d 1049 (9th Cir. 1996) 7
Masella v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield
of Connecticut, Inc.
936 F.2d 98 (2d Cir. 1991) 27
Massachusetts Mutual Life Ins.
Co. v. Russell
473 U.S. 134, 105 S.Ct. 3085 (1985) 19, 27, 40, 42
Massachusetts v. Morash
490 U.S. 107, 109 S.Ct. 1668 (1989) 2
McKnight v. Southern Life and
Health Ins. Co.
758 F.2d 1566 (11th Cir. 1985) 35
McLeod v. Oregon Lithoprint Inc.
102 F.3d 376 (9th Cir. 1996) 46
Menhorn v. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
738 F.2d 1496 (9th Cir. 1984) 26
Mertens v. Hewitt Associates
508 U.S. 248, 113 S.Ct. 2063 (1993) 10, 27
Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Taylor
481 U.S. 58, 107 S.Ct. 1542 (1987)
on remand Taylor v. General Motors Corp.
826 F.2d 452 (6th Cir. 1987) 3
Moore v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co.
856 F.2d 488 (2d Cir. 1988) 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 24, 35
Morstein v. National Ins. Services, Inc.
93 F.3d 715 (11th Cir. 1996) (en banc) 31
Mullins v. Pfizer, Inc.
23 F.3d 663 (2d Cir. 1994) 42, 55
Musto v. American General Corp.
861 F.2d 897 (6th Cir. 1988)
cert. denied, 490 U.S. 1020
109 S.Ct. 1745 (1989) 9
Nachman Corp. v. Pension Ben. Guaranty Corp.
446 U.S. 359, 100 S.Ct. 1723 (1980) 2
Nachwalter v. Christie
805 F.2d 956 (11th Cir. 1986) 42
Nash v. Trustees of Boston University
946 F.2d 960 (1st Cir. 1991) 29
National Companies Health Ben. Plan
v. St. Joseph's Hosp. of Atlanta, Inc.
929 F.2d 1558 (11th Cir. 1991) 36
New York State Conference of
Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans v.
Travelers Ins. Co.
___ U.S. ___, 115 S.Ct. 1671 (1995)
on remand Travelers Ins. Co. v. Pataki
63 F.3d 89 (2d Cir. 1995) 31
Olson v. General Dynamics Corp.
960 F.2d 1418 (9th Cir. 1991)
cert. denied 504 U.S. 986, 112 S.Ct 2968 (1992) 28
Pacificare Inc. v. Martin
34 F.3d 834 (9th Cir. 1994) 33
Parker v. BankAmerica Corp.
50 F.3d 757 (9th Cir. 1995) 14, 35
Phillips v. Amoco Oil Co.
799 F.2d 1464 (11th Cir. 1986)
cert. denied 481 U.S. 1016, 107 S.Ct. 1893 (1987) 29
Pierce v. Security Trust Life Ins. Co.
979 F.2d 23 (4th Cir. 1992) 14, 35
Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux
481 U.S. 41, 107 S.Ct. 1549 (1987)
on remand 821 F.2d 277 (5th Cir. 1987) 3, 26
Pisciotta v. Teledyne Industries, Inc.
91 F.3d 1326 (9th Cir. 1996) 12, 18, 21, 36
Pocchia v. NYNEX Corp.
81 F.3d 275 (2d Cir. 1996) 55
Ream v. Frey
107 F.3d 147 (3d Cir. 1997) 45
Reichelt v. Emhart Corp.
921 F.2d 425 (2d Cir. 1990)
cert. denied 501 U.S. 1231, 111 S.Ct. 2854 (1991) 2
Rodrigue v. Western and Southern
Life Ins. Co.
948 F.2d 969 (5th Cir. 1991) 35
Saltarelli v. Bob Baker Group Medical Trust
35 F.3d 382 (9th Cir. 1994) 27
Sanson v. General Motors Corp.
966 F.2d 618 (11th Cir. 1992)
cert. denied 507 U.S. 984, 113 S.Ct. 1578 (1993) 28, 32
Schonholz v. Long Island Jewish Medical Center
87 F.3d 72 (2d Cir. 1996)
cert. denied ___ U.S. ___
117 S.Ct. 511 (1996) 12
Sedima, S.P.R.L. v. Imrex Co., Inc.
473 U.S. 479, 105 S.Ct. 3292 (1985)
judgment vacated in part by
Haroco, Inc. v. American Nat. Bank
and Trust Co. of Chicago, 1987 WL 17486
(N.D. Ill. Sept. 23, 1987) 58
Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc.
463 U.S. 85, 103 S.Ct. 2890 (1983) 3
Shea v. Esensten
___ F.3d ___, 1997 WL 78350
(8th Cir. February 26, 1997) 45
Silkwood v. Kerr-McGee Corp.
464 U.S. 238, 104 S.Ct. 615 (1984) 3
Simmons v. Southern Bell Tel. & Tel. Co.
940 F.2d 614 (11th Cir. 1991) 41
Singer v. Black & Decker Corp.
964 F.2d 1449 (4th Cir. 1992) 27
Slice v. Norway
978 F.2d 1045 (8th Cir. 1992)
aff'd Slice v. Sons of Norway
34 F.3d 630 (8th Cir. 1994) 29, 35
Smith v. Hartford Ins. Group
6 F.3d 131 (3d Cir. 1993) 2, 35
Sprague v. General Motors Corp.
92 F.3d 1425 (6th Cir. 1996)
judgment vacated 102 F.3d 204
(6th Cir. 1996) 22, 23
Stewart v. KHD Deutz of America Corp.
980 F.2d 698 (11th Cir. 1993) 22
Taylor v. Peoples Natural Gas Co.
49 F.3d 982 (3d Cir. 1995) 42
Textile Workers Union of America
v. Lincoln Mills of Ala.
353 U.S. 448, 77 S.Ct. 923 (1957) 27
Todd v. AIG Life Ins. Co.
47 F.3d 1448 (5th Cir. 1995) 27
Tusting v. Bay View Federal Sav. & Loan Ass'n
789 F.Supp. 1034 (N.D. Cal. 1992) 12
U.S. v. Turkette
452 U.S. 576, 101 S.Ct. 2524 (1981)
on remand 656 F.2d 5 (1st Cir. 1981) 58
Varity Corp. v. Howe
___ U.S. __, 116 S.Ct. 1065 (1996). 5, 7, 39, 43-47, 57
Vartanian v. Monsanto Co.
14 F.3d 697 (1st Cir. 1994) 28
Warren v. Society Nat'l Bank
905 F.2d 975 (6th Cir. 1990) 41
Watkins v. Westinghouse Hanford Co.
12 F.3d 1517 (9th Cir. 1993) 13
Wheeler v. Dynamic Engineering, Inc.
62 F.3d 634 (4th Cir. 1995) 27
Wise v. El Paso Natural Gas Co.
986 F.2d 929 (5th Cir. 1993)
cert. denied, 510 U.S. 870, 114 S.Ct. 196 6, 11
Wolin v. Smith Barney, Inc.
83 F.3d 847 (7th Cir. 1996) 50
STATE CASES
Foley v. Interactive Data Corp.
47 Cal.3d 654, 256 Cal.Rptr. 211 (1988) 17
STATUTES
Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1994
Section 502 44, 45
United States Code
Title 29, Section 1001 1, 20
Title 29, Section 1002 2
Title 29, Section 1022 2, 18
Title 29, Section 1102 2
Title 29, Section 1104 34, 39, 53
Title 29, Section 1109 39, 40
Title 29, Section 1113 49, 50
Title 29, Section 1132 3, 6, 7, 14, 23, 33-35, 39-41, 43-45
Title 29, Section 1144 2, 3
TREATISES
2 W. Fletcher, Cyclopedia of Law of
Private Corporations (rev. ed. 1990) 17
K.P. RODDY, RICO IN BUSINESS AND
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
"Judicial Attempts to Limit RICO"
Vol. I, § 1.02 (Shepard's/McGraw Hill 1994) 58
Restatement (Second) of Agency
Section 27 (1957) 17
ARTICLES
Blakey & Perry, An Analysis of the Myths that
Bolster Efforts to Rewrite RICO and the
Various Proposals for Reform
"Mother of God - Is This the End of RICO?"
43 Vand. L. Rev. 851, 860-869 (1990) 58
Gregory, The Scope of ERISA Preemption of State
Law: A Study in Effective Federalism
48 U. Pitt. L. Rev. 427 (1987) 26
Harmon, "Ford Charge Will Result
in Record Loss"
Los Angeles Times, 12/17/92 5
Kenny, Escaping the RICO Dragnet in Civil
Litigation: Why Won't the Lower Courts
Listen to the Supreme Court?
30 Duq. L. Rev. 257 (1992) 58
Ossi, It Doesn't Add Up: The Broken Promises
of Lifetime Health Benefits, Medicare,
and Accounting Rule FAS 106 Do Not Equal
Satisfactory Medical Coverage for Retirees
13 J. Contemp. Health L. & Pol'y 233 (1996) 6
Towers Perrin, "Facing FAS 106:
Where Employers Stand" (1992) 5