Supreme Court Issues Two Decisions Affecting Benefit Plans

On June 19, the United States Supreme Court issued decisions in Kentucky Retirement Systems v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, No. 06-1037, October Term 2007, and in Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Glenn, No. 06-923, October Term 2007. The first decision discusses the disparate impact test under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA); the second addresses the standard of review to be applied by the courts when reviewing a decision of a claims fiduciary that may have a financial interest in the outcome of the decision. While both of these decisions will be of interest to sponsors of employee benefit plans, the Kentucky Retirement Systems decision should be of special interest to all employers covered by the ADEA.

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