Fiduciary Breach

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As has been discussed and written about extensively, the U.S. Supreme Court lowered the pleading standard for claims alleging violations of ERISA’s prohibited transaction rules. Cunningham v. Cornell University, 604 U.S. 693 (2025). A recent decision addressing a motion to dismiss prohibited transaction claims serves as a good reminder to plan sponsors and…

Starting March 17, 2025, the Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (“VFCP”) will have a “self-correction” option.  Although the new option eliminates the need to wait for formal approval of a correction submission, participating fiduciaries will still need to satisfy a notice requirement and submit information to the Department of Labor.  The applicable…

A federal district court in Massachusetts recently denied a motion to dismiss a complaint filed by plan participants in the Cape Cod Healthcare, Inc. 403(b) plan, which alleged that the plan’s fiduciaries breached their ERISA duty of prudence by permitting the plan to pay excessive recordkeeping fees and remain invested in overpriced, underperforming investment options.

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed a district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the fiduciaries of the Home Depot 401(k) plan, who defended against claims that they breached their fiduciary duties by permitting the plan to pay excessive financial advisor fees and retaining underperforming investments. In so ruling, the court…