Church pension plans

Karen Ferguson, director of the Pension Rights Center, called the decision “a terrific victory for thousands of orderlies, cafeteria workers, nurses and others who were told throughout their careers at Saint Peter’s that they were fully protected by federal law.”

More than two years into a litigation effort challenging the way large hospitals run their pension plans, all eyes are on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which recently received a flood of amicus briefs arguing both sides of the debate.

The first church plan case to reach the federal appellate courts is being returned to the district court to consider a proposed settlement between the parties, according to an order issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Overall v. Ascension Health, 6th Cir., No. 14-1735, 3/17/15).

We at the Pension Rights Center have long recognized the important role that U.S. Administration on Aging’s Pension Counseling and Information Program (PCIP) plays in protecting the legal rights of retirees and their families.