United States Third Circuit

A written clause in a "top hat" ERISA plan that explicitly grants the plan administrator authority to interpret the plan's terms may be valid, subject to an implied duty of good faith and fair dealing, despite the fact that such plans are unfunded, do not vest, and are not required to name fiduciaries.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/25/2001
• Published 05/25/2001

Judges

• Before:  BECKER, Chief Judge, NYGAARD and AMBRO, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Sheppard A. Guryan, (Argued) Bruce H. Snyder, Lasser Hochman, L.L.C., Roseland, NJ, Counsel for Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Francis X. Dee, (Argued) Stephen F. Payerle, Carpenter, Bennett & Morrissey, Newark, NJ, Counsel for Appellees.