Ecolab Agrees To Settle Pension Calculation Fight

By Kellie Mejdrich

A proposed class of Ecolab Inc. retirees who alleged their joint-and-survivor annuity pension benefits were miscalculated told a Minnesota federal judge the water management and sanitation company had agreed in principle to settle their federal benefits lawsuit, according to a court filing.

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Brief

Providence Health Gets Green Light For 401(k) Forfeiture Deal

By Patrick Hoff

A Washington federal judge has approved a nearly $43 million settlement agreement that ends a lawsuit alleging Providence Health & Services unlawfully used forfeited retirement funds to cover employer contributions instead of plan expenses.

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Brief

PBM Fee Disclosure Rule Clears White House Review

By Kellie Mejdrich

A White House budget office has completed review of a rule from the U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm that would require new fee disclosures from pharmacy benefit managers, which act as intermediaries between drugmakers, pharmacies and insurers.

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Employers Say United Health Double Dealt With Claims

By Spencer Brewer

Multiple employers with self-funded medical plans including Aramark and Kraft Heinz told a Texas federal judge United Health Group Inc. regularly approved bogus healthcare claims collectively worth millions of dollars and then helped itself to undisclosed fees incurred from those approvals.

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Allegheny County Passes 12-Week Paid Parental Leave

By Max Kutner

Pennsylvania's second-most populous county approved what worker advocates said was the first county-mandated paid parental leave policies in the U.S.

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SEIU Fired Organizer Over Military Leave, Suit Says

By Patrick Hoff

An SEIU organizer was subjected to intense scrutiny and ultimately fired for taking time off to fulfill her obligations as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, according to a new lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania federal court.

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United Rentals Hit With ERISA Suit Over 401(k) Forfeitures

By Brian Steele

A proposed class action in Connecticut federal court accuses United Rentals (North America) Inc. of violating the federal retirement security act by shifting nearly $8.7 million in 401(k) expenses to plan members while using $14.3 million in forfeitures to offset its own contributions.

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New Weil-Willkie Domains Add To Merger Speculation

By Marialuisa Taddia

Two domain names that combine the names of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP have been registered, fueling speculation about a potential merger between the two prominent Wall Street law firms.

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JPMorgan, Ex-Frank Execs Clash Over $2.1M In Legal Fees

By Jarek Rutz

JPMorgan Chase & Co. faced renewed demands in the Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday to pay about $2.1 million in withheld legal fees for convicted Frank founder Charlie Javice and former executive Olivier Amar, as their lawyers accused the bank of using repeated billing objections to delay funding for their criminal defenses.

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Bonus Spotlight

Hueston Hennigan Bumps Clerkship Bonus To $205K

By Lynn LaRowe

Trial boutique Hueston Hennigan is offering a $205,000 bonus to lawyers who have completed one or more federal clerkships, the firm confirmed Thursday.

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Jackson Walker Hits Back At Fee Clawback Sanction Move

By Vince Sullivan

Law firm Jackson Walker said Wednesday that it should not be sanctioned for failing to bring to a Texas federal judge's attention additional cases involving an undisclosed romantic relationship between a bankruptcy judge and one of its attorneys because the U.S. Trustee already investigated those cases and didn't take action.

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Texas Judge Probe Shows Lack Of Mental Impairment Process

By Jack Karp

Fifth Circuit officials have done a reasonable job of handling a rare situation involving a Texas federal judge who appears to be undergoing a mental health crisis, but the episode highlights that a more standardized way of dealing with federal judges experiencing mental impairment needs to be established, experts and scholars say.

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GOP Reps. Seek Probe Of Fla. Judge's Sanctions Order

By Courtney Bublé

Top Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee asked the Judicial Conference Thursday to investigate a Florida federal judge for potential misconduct with an order she issued in the case involving the leak of President Donald Trump's tax returns.

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