Employer’s Complaint Dismissed; Finding Already Made On ERISA’s Applicability

Mealey's (September 13, 2019, 9:14 AM EDT) -- SEATTLE — A Washington federal judge on Sept. 10 dismissed an employer’s complaint seeking a finding that its short-term disability (STD) plan is not governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act because the issue already was decided by the director of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and cannot be relitigated in federal court (Phillips 66 Co., et al., v. Joel Sacks, et al., No. 19-174, W.D. Wash., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 154155)....