ERISA Preemption and Employee Benefit Claims: Recent Court Decisions, Causes of Action, Plan Administration

Litigation attorney Chelsea McCarthy will co-lead a Strafford webinar guiding counsel on Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) preemption rules and their effects on litigating employee benefit claims. Section 514(a) under ERISA provides that ERISA preempts state laws and policies insofar as they "relate to" employee benefit plans covered by ERISA, with limited exceptions. Although this means that plans do not have to attempt to reconcile inconsistent state and local regulations, it also means that preemption changes the entire framework of litigating claims by moving the proceedings to federal court — where plaintiffs find limited possible remedies. During this webinar, the speakers will break down the intricacies of preemption and explain how it affects retirement and health plan administration. They will also review recent case law on the issue and outline best practices for ERISA counsel.