Rethink Retiree Health Benefits, Supreme Court Tells 6th Circuit

Bloomberg BNA spoke to Steven Suflas of Ballard Spahr’s Labor and Employment Group for an article on a U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that disputes over health benefits for union retirees must be decided based on ordinary principles of contract law.

"The justices thought the result was pretty clear," said Mr. Suflas. "I think the real surprise is that the Sixth Circuit was so dogged in trying to create inferences to generate lifetime retiree health benefits…In the '90s and the first decade of this century, there was a lot of litigation over retiree health benefits, but that train has kind of left the station at this point. This seems to be the caboose at the end of this litigation train."