Yale Workers Can Try Retirement Plan Class Action Before Jury

Yale University employees bucked a national trend when they convinced a Connecticut federal judge to allow their class action over the school’s retirement plan to be tried by a jury.

Judge Alvin W. Thompson denied the school’s motion to strike the workers’ jury trial demand, explaining that the lawsuit asks that the defendants be held personally liable to “make good” losses tied to their breaches of fiduciary duty. This is a legal remedy that gives the employees the right to trial by jury, Thompson said.

Plaintiffs in several recent retirement plan challenges have sought trial by jury, and judges have ...