Daily Labor Brief: ERISA Ruling, Work Permit Changes, and SSA Scheduling Challenge
This roundup reports that the Eleventh Circuit reversed an ERISA exhaustion requirement, the Department of Homeland Security ended automatic renewals for work permits, and the AFGE union challenged the Social Security Administration's flexible scheduling policy.
This roundup brings together three labor and employment matters. One is an appellate ruling that set aside a procedural precondition for certain ERISA benefit claims. Another is a Homeland Security policy change that stops work permits from renewing automatically. The third is a union challenge to how the Social Security Administration handles flexible scheduling. These items sit at the intersection of benefits litigation, immigration-linked employment authorization, and federal workplace administration.
The ERISA ruling could alter how benefit disputes proceed in the Eleventh Circuit, potentially affecting plan participants and employers. Ending automatic work permit renewals may create uncertainty for workers and employers relying on timely authorization. The SSA scheduling challenge may affect federal employees’ working conditions and agency operations. These are possibilities, not predictions.