Injured Ford Worker’s Pension Calculation Suit Survives Trim

A lawsuit over how Ford Motor Co. calculates pension benefits for employees who take time off to recover from workplace injuries is moving forward after a federal judge trimmed allegations that the plan violated ERISA’s claims procedure rules.

The Ford plan’s compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act’s claims procedure rules is best challenged through a claim for plan benefits, rather than as a standalone allegation, Judge Linda V. Parker said. Multiple courts have held that a plan’s failure to comply with these procedural requirements doesn’t on its own entitle a participant to relief, Parker said.

The judge’s opinion ...