7th Circ. Holds High Court Ruling Supports Ark. PBM Rule

By Kellie Mejdrich

The Seventh Circuit refused Wednesday to revive a union fund's challenge to an Arkansas rule making health plans disclose pharmacy compensation and pay fees, backing a lower court's holding that the rule was in line with a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that permitted state cost regulations on pharmacy benefit managers.

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Feds Aim To Give Employers Clarity On Wellness Programs

By Kellie Mejdrich

The U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies on Wednesday issued guidance on employer wellness programs that permit fees on workers' health premiums for things like tobacco use, which the agencies said was in response to legal questions raised by numerous recently filed class action federal benefits lawsuits.

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Norfolk Southern Says Precedent Undermines Derailment Suit

By Kelcey Caulder

Norfolk Southern urged a Georgia federal judge Wednesday to deny class treatment to investors who allege they were deceived about the company's safety operations before a fiery train derailment in Ohio in 2023, arguing U.S. Supreme Court precedent undercut the argument that the rail carrier's share price was unlawfully inflated.

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House Committee Wants DOL IG To Widen Info-Sharing Probe

By Benjamin Morse

Top House Education and Workforce Committee Republicans urged the U.S. Department of Labor's watchdog Wednesday to expand its review of information-sharing arrangements with outside groups, asking whether three additional agencies improperly disclosed confidential investigative material during the Biden administration.

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Credit Suisse Says 401(k) Participants Misunderstand ERISA

By Carla Baranauckas

Credit Suisse Securities USA LLC and its benefits committee have urged a North Carolina federal judge to dismiss class claims that they mismanaged the bank's 401(k) plan, arguing the workers' complaint relies on flawed comparisons and misunderstandings of ERISA's fiduciary standards.

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Target's ERISA Win Doesn't Ax Tobacco Surcharge Questions

Though a Minnesota federal court's recent dismissal of a putative class action challenging Target's tobacco surcharge wellness program offers employers a defense road map, courts' differing conclusions about the Employee Retirement Income Security Act versus U.S. Department of Labor requirements leave the legal landscape unsettled, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

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Dems Say DOJ Opinion Aims To Foil Oversight Of White House

By Courtney Bublé

With midterm elections right around the corner, Senate Democrats are worried the new legal opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice could let the Trump Administration obstruct congressional oversight of the White House.

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ABA Faces Uphill Battle To Remain As Law School Accreditor

By Emma Cueto

The American Bar Association council responsible for accrediting law schools is fighting on multiple fronts to retain its status as a nationwide accreditor, fending off challenges at both the federal and state levels.

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Bradley Arant Launches Retail, Consumer Brands Practice

By Tracey Read

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP has launched a retail, digital commerce and consumer brands practice to help clients protect their brands and preserve public trust in fast-moving, highly regulated markets.

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