Reddinger v. SENA Severance Pay Plan

Dist. Ct. did not err in granting defendant-pension plan’s motion for summary judgment in ERISA action alleging that defendant improperly denied plaintiffs severance pay after announcing that plant would close and after initially offering said pay pursuant to company plan that provided for severance pay when its employees were involuntarily terminated. Record showed that prior to plaintiffs giving defendant required signed release forms, defendant told plaintiffs that they were not accepting any more releases at that time because plant would close at later date, and that plaintiffs’ subsequent decision to leave employment on or near original closing date meant that plaintiffs’ terminations were “voluntary,” which in turn disqualified plaintiffs from receiving severance benefits under plan.