Jerde Architecture Firm to Face Ex-CEO $1 Million Benefits Suit

The former chief executive officer of Jerde Partnership Inc. advanced claims he was wrongly denied more than $1 million in retirement benefits, but he must file a new complaint to seek $680,000 in unpaid bonuses, a California federal judge ruled.

John Simones, who spent more than 36 years at Jerde before his 2020 retirement, accused the company of paying him less than $2.1 million from his executive retirement plan after previously confirming in writing that his plan benefits would be more than $3.1 million. These allegations state a viable claim for equitable estoppel under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, ...