What is happening with the LLNL Retire group suing UC to restore the health benefits to retirees? Apparently the Retiree Website is no longer being updated. See: http://llnlretiree.com/ Why did the judge decertify the retiree list?
http://www.independentnews.com/news/surprise-ruling-decertifies-retiree-class-in-lawsuit/article_7b76ca3e-d541-11e7-9c6c-47e48d1fdcf4.html
Yet I got an E-mail that included: " The order decertifying the class will result in our having to fight harder. There will be added expense. But we are determined to do the right thing for retirees who spent their lives worked at the Laboratory assuming they would get the benefits promised by the Regents, which we all understood were protected and guaranteed. It is not acceptable that retirees in our class (now including over 9,000 people when surviving spouses and dependents are counted). We must continue the fight! So we have to ask for your help again. Please give what you can afford. Every
12 comments:
I retired in 2012. LLNS health coverage for retirees is just fine ! Particularly before the age of 65. After that we are all stuck with Social Security which can be pricey depending on your pension and outside income. LLNL Retiree Group - please don't screw up my medical benefits ! I don't want or need the UC Plan !
January 2, 2018 at 7:08 PM
"After that we are all stuck with Social Security"
That may be true for some, but there are others whose career started before 1977 and may have not had any Social Security / Medicare benefits at all. The medical benefits for all of us is not guaranteed in retirement according to LLNS. So if you can get onto the UC medical plan and LLNS blows up medical retirement, you will have something especially if you don't qualify for medicare.
January 1 - The judge decertified the class but did not throw out the case. The decertification will be appealed. Most case documents are public records. You can read them at the courthouse or download them from the Alameda County Superior Court website.
January 2 - Your retired from LLNS and not UC LLNL. The case has no bearing on your health benefits.
I get the problem - but who's mistake was it to not pay into Medicare and Social Security ? You took the extra money in your pay check expecting that UC would bail you out later in life.
January 6 - when the employee opted out of Medicare and Social Security, UC also benefitted by not having to pay the associated employee taxes. so both UC and the employee (later retiree) benefitted. with the transition UC conveniently forgot about this agreement.
No one opted out. When the UCRP coordinated with Social Security, you could opt in. For most at that time, that was a dumb choice. After the coordination date, new employees coming in were put into Social Security. In those days, any UCRP benefit would be reduced dollar for dollar if there was a Social Security benefit. That did change later. But at that time, you would pay into both systems, but get less benefit. Medicare may have existed then but was never mentioned. There was never a hint that UC retirees from the Lab would be treated any differently from any other UC retiree.
At the transition from the original contract, language regarding continuity of benefits was ignored by both UC and DOE.
Don't throw rocks if you don't know the whole story.
The language "substantially equivalent" was struck from the LLNS contract in year 2. So much for that.
What is the basis for the judge decertifying the class if the pre 1977 people have such a solid case ?
So what is the status of the lawsuit now? - the original Q.
I'm glad to see this discussion, the retiree website appears to be dormant.
I think I did see an earlier post there that mentioned they'd raised over $350K, and spent over $40k....
IIn August 2018 the Retires were re certified as a class.
Independent article Aug 9 at
Appeals Court Sides With LLNL Retirees
(Sorry - can't seem to get the link posted- do a search for it.)
explains there are more than 9000 affected,
and says more court action "at teh end of the month"
But I see no follow up- what happened?
http://llnlretiree.com is stil dormant.
Checked today 11/3/18 and last update appears to be in 2015.
There is a trial date 2/11/19 with several hearings beforehand to decide on various issues. The case number is RG10530492 and you can check the schedule on the Alameda County Superior Court website. Case filings are also listed there, but there is a fee to download.
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