Description: The Norris case, decided under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits sex discrimination in employment. This article addresses the question- What degree of employer involvement will cause a benefit to become a Title VII 'term, condition or privilege' of employment to which Norris applies?

Description: This article describes an interesting decision entered by the Florida Supreme Court. It was held that an insurance company’s failure to investigate circumstances relating to the issuance of a life insurance policy- where the company received notice of the beneficiary’s murderous intentions- constituted a tort under Florida law for damages arising from the beneficiary’s attempt to murder the insured in order to collect the benefits.

Description: This article discusses three litigation issues: 1. Shelter Framing Corp. v. PBGC: This is a case recently placed on the Appellate Docket of the U.S. Supreme Court being appealed from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That Circuit Court held that the Multiemployer Pension Plan amendments Act, which imposes liability on employers who withdrew from multiemployer plans, is unconstitutional as applied to employers who withdraw before the Act’s enactment but after its retroactively effective date. 2. Federal Trade Commission: The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has held that an investigation by the FTC into whether finance companies and auto dealerships were engaging in unfair and deceptive practices by representing that purchase of credit life insurance was required as a condition to obtain financing, was not outside the FTC’s power. 3. Baldwin-United Case: Under the rehabilitation plan for Baldwin-United, the Company would refund $3.7 billion to the annuity holders. Several groups are challenging this decision.

Description: This article discusses three employee benefits related lawsuits- Russell v. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Textile Workers Pension Fund v. Standard Dye and Finishing Company, and International UAW v. Yardman, Inc.

Description: Three 1983 U.S. Supreme Court pension-and-welfare-related opinions, viz. a. Shaw, b. Construction Laborers, and c. Morrison-Knudsen, merit at least passing attention by actuaries even though their impact upon the actuary’s work may vary from slight to significant.