PRC In the News
09/06/17|GoLocalProv

St. Joseph’s Pension Fund Bankruptcy Could Be Just One of Many in RI

Church pension plans controlled by the Diocese of Providence, like the bankrupt pension fund of St. Joseph Health services, may be in distress too – but no one knows and the Diocese of Providence will not respond to repeated requests for comments.

PRC In the News
06/15/17|Healthcare Financial Management Association

Church Plan Decision Bolsters Credit Ratings, Despite Unresolved Issues

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of pension-law appeals by three religiously affiliated hospital systems was deemed a credit positive for such entities. However, further litigation is likely.

PRC In the News
06/14/17|PlanSponsor

Supreme Court Ruling Did Not Resolve Church Plan Challenges

Following oral arguments in March in three cases challenging health care organizations’ church plan status, the U.S. Supreme Court found plans maintained by principal-purpose organizations qualify as “church plans.” However, it did not rule that the hospitals in these cases were principal-purpose organizations. 

PRC In the News
06/12/17|Pensions & Investments

More challenges promised despite church-plan victory

Sponsors of church-related pension plans are celebrating a Supreme Court decision upholding their right to be exempt from federal pension rules, but participant advocates vow to continue challenging them on other legal points and in new venues, including state courts.

PRC In the News
06/06/17|Forbes

Supreme Court Ruling Imperils Pension Protections

In a blow to the hundreds of thousands of employees of religiously-affiliated hospitals, schools and social services organizations, the U.S. Supreme Court said that their pensions might not be protected by federal ERISA laws.

PRC In the News
06/06/17|National Law Journal

Hospitals’ Pension Win at High Court Might be Short-Lived

Three religious-affiliated, nonprofit hospital systems won reprieves from multimillion-dollar class actions Monday in the U.S. Supreme Court. But that relief may not be long-lasting.

PRC In the News
06/06/17|The Star-Ledger

Supreme Court says religious hospitals don’t have to comply with federal pension protections

Employees of religious hospitals — including St. Peters University Hospital in New Brunswick and the now defunct St. James Hospital in Newark– were dealt a blow by the U.S. Supreme Court Monday.

PRC In the News
06/06/17|Bloomberg BNA

SCOTUS Sides With Religious Hospitals in Church Plan Dispute

Religiously affiliated hospitals can run their pension plans as church plans exempt from federal funding requirements, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled.

Press Release
06/05/17

U.S. Supreme Court’s “church plan” decision leaves key issue undecided

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that pension plans with ties to religious organizations may not have to comply with federal pension law. Today’s ruling leaves it to lower courts to decide whether hundreds of thousands of people who thought they were guaranteed federal protections will receive the pensions they earned. “Today’s ruling […]

PRC In the News
04/03/17|NJ Spotlight

OP-ED: Why U.S. Supreme Court must stand up for retired Americans

Hospitals that masquerade as religiously affiliated institutions do their employees and themselves a grave disservice.

PRC In the News
04/03/17|BNA Pension & Benefits Daily

Hospital Pension Plans Seek Salvation at SCOTUS

The oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court over the ability of religiously affiliated hospitals to treat their pension plans as “church plans” amounted to a 60-minute catechism on statutory interpretation and legislative history.

PRC In the News
04/03/17|NJ.com

In absence of help from archdiocese, N.J. pensioners put faith in U.S. Supreme Court

While adversaries argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last week, 79 people who once worked at St. James Hospital in Newark watched the clock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.