The plaintiffs then took the case to the Supreme Court, which vacated the Ninth Circuit’s ruling. In its opinion, the Court concluded that the Ninth Circuit’s holding that ERISA Section 510 bars interference only with vested benefits “is contradicted by the plain language” of that section.
Initially, the Court noted that ERISA Section 510 prohibits interference with a participant’s attainment of any right under “the plan,” and that ERISA defines a “plan” to include both an “employee welfare benefit plan” and an “employee pension benefit plan.” The Court then went on to state,