United States Tenth Circuit

In an ERISA action alleging that defendant-plan wrongfully denied benefits to plaintiffs, a class of former employees of the Phillips Petroleum Company, partial summary judgment for the plan is reversed and remanded for an award of benefits where: 1) it was unnecessary to determine the standard of review, as the denial of benefits was unreasonable under any standard; 2) it was improper for the district court to consider the rationale that a Work Force Stabilization Plan (WFSP) was not arranged by the Company for its employees generally; 3) the plan's decision to deny benefits based on its interpretation of the WFSP and collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was arbitrary and capricious; and 4) the appropriate remedy under the circumstances was to order an award of benefits.

Appellate Information

• Decided 07/03/2007
• Published 07/05/2007

Judges

• PAUL KELLY, JR., Circuit Judge., Before KELLY, HENRY, and LUCERO, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Tenth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Scott A. Hagen (and Michael E. Blue with him on the briefs), Ray, Quinney & Nebeker, P.C, Salt Lake City, Utah, for Plaintiffs-Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Matthew M. Durham (and Justin B. Palmer with him on the brief), Stoel, Rives, L.L.P., Salt Lake City, Utah, for Defendant-Appellee.