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In Memoriam: William R. Whitehurst

"He practiced law for 35 years with Womble Bond Dickinson until he was forced to retire due to health reasons. At the time of his retirement, he was the managing partner of the firm's Winston-Salem office and a member of its Firm Management Committee. While practicing law, he was recognized regularly for excellence in corporate, employee benefits, and tax law by Best Lawyers in America, and he was named as the Triad's Lawyer of the Year multiple times for employee benefits law."

Federal Appeals Court Sides with Reynolds on Retirement Plan Dispute

"The ruling from the Fourth [Circuit] Court of Appeals is the latest in a legal case that has lasted 15 years.... Robert Elliot, a Winston-Salem attorney representing Tatum, said in July 2015 that 'the plaintiffs have proven damages in excess of $50 million, which would be increased due to the passage of time since trial.' In February 2016, U.S. District Judge Carlton Tilley ruled for the second time that the committee acted prudently in eliminating the Nabisco funds from its 401(k) plan. Tatum filed an appeal in March 2016 -- his third attempt with the appeals court." [Tatum v. RJR Pension Inv. Comm., No. 16-1293 (4th Cir. Apr. 28, 2017)]

In Your 30s? Smart Strategies for Your 401(k)

"[1] Claim your full employer match ... [2] Load up on index funds ... [3] Open a Roth 401(k)."

ACA Lawsuit Could Have Spillover Effect on Employer-Provided Health Plans

"[If] the Texas lawsuit is successful, it could ... put a squeeze on the support system and affordability of employer-provided insurance, particularly those employers with 50 or fewer workers.... [As] 130 million U.S. adults under age 65 have a health issue that could be considered as pre-existing, particularly if they were to apply for new health insurance or have a lengthy coverage gap between jobs."

'Blue Map' Online Tool Designed for North Carolina Residents for Navigation of Health Care Changes

"The insurer said about 1.2 million residents could benefit from the tool as the October open-enrollment period for insurance plans nears. Among the regulatory issues described on the website are new health plans featuring essential benefits, eligibility to keep current plans, premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. The map is aimed at people who may be purchasing health insurance for the first time."

Fourth Circuit Limits Scope of ERISA Anti-Retaliation Statute

"While ERISA protects employees who report wrongdoings by their employers across most of the country, folks in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th federal court circuits are not protected when they report issues 'internally' -- that means to their employers. Folks in all the other federal circuits are protected.... [T]he only way to now fix the problem is to amend ERISA so that it clearly protects people who file what are called 'internal reports'; that is, when a person files a report or sends an email to his or her supervisor or executive management that says, 'Hey, I think we have a problem here'."

Hanesbrands Cuts Key Retiree Benefit

"Hanesbrands Inc. will eliminate its subsidy for retiree medical benefits in December 2007, and it will soon reduce several other employee benefits to cut costs, the company has said in two internal memorandums."

Wachovia Health Premiums Tiered in Price: Higher the Salary, the Higher the Employees' Cost

Excerpt: Wachovia Corp., the nation's fourth-largest bank, is giving its lowest-paid employees a break on their health-insurance premiums while asking their higher-paid colleagues to fork over more cash for the same coverage. The new tiered pricing system replaces one in which employees earning the highest salaries paid the same premiums as lower-paid workers for the same benefit.... It's the latest twist in employers' struggles with skyrocketing healthcare costs.