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U.S. Supreme Court

Case Status

Decided

Docket Number

14-741

Term

2015 Term

Lower Court Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

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Questions Presented

Whether a state law that imposes new reporting, payment, recordkeeping, and audit requirements on ERISA plan administrators that arise directly from their processing of welfare benefit claims pursuant to ERISA “relate[s] to” ERISA benefit plans and is therefore preempted under 29 U.S.C. § 1144(a); and

Whether the broad preemption language in 29 U.S.C. § 1144(a) can be judicially narrowed to accommodate a presumption against preemption of newly minted state laws that seek to exploit the core functions of ERISA plan administrators.

Case Updates

Outcome

March 07, 2016

The Supreme Court vacated the judgment and remanded the case to the Sixth Circuit for further consideration in light of Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.

U.S. Chamber urges Supreme Court to review Sixth Circuit's ERISA decision

January 22, 2015

The U.S. Chamber filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to review a Sixth Circuit decision addressing whether a state tax that imposes reporting and record-keeping requirements on ERISA plan administrators is preempted by ERISA. The Chamber’s brief argues that the Sixth Circuit misapplied the Supreme Court’s preemption precedents, opening the door to proliferation of similar state laws that burden and complicate the administration of employer health plans. If allowed to stand, the decision of the Sixth Circuit could portend trouble for the viability of employer-provided health care benefits.

Carol Connor Cohen and Caroline Turner English of Arent Fox LLP represented the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as co-counsel to the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center in this case.

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