Boilermaker Pension Fund to Face Suit Over Benefit Terminations

A group of retired boilermakers advanced portions of their proposed class action claiming their pension benefits were wrongly terminated when they began working in non-boilermaker positions after retiring.

Judge Toby Crouse of the US District Court for the District of Kansas on Thursday allowed the retirees to press claims that they were wrongfully denied pension benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Crouse said these claims involve a factual dispute over whether the boilermakers had the subjective intention to retire, and he can’t properly assess them without the complete administrative record.

The retirees also advanced claims that certain plan ...