Harrison v. PNC Financial Services Group

928 F. Supp. 2d 934, 56 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1082, 2013 WL 785328, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28603
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedMarch 1, 2013
DocketCase No. 3:12-cv-14
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 928 F. Supp. 2d 934 (Harrison v. PNC Financial Services Group) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harrison v. PNC Financial Services Group, 928 F. Supp. 2d 934, 56 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1082, 2013 WL 785328, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28603 (S.D. Ohio 2013).

Opinion

[938]*938DECISION AND ENTRY SUSTAINING IN PART AND OVERRULING IN PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED COMPLAINT (DOC. #8); PLAINTIFF GRANTED LEAVE TO FILE SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT, NAMING THE COMMITTEE ADMINISTERING THE NATIONAL CITY CORPORATION AMENDED AND RESTATED MANAGEMENT SEVERANCE PLAN AS A PARTY DEFENDANT, WITHIN TEN (10) DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS DECISION AND ENTRY; THE PARTIES ARE ORDERED TO FILE A COMPLETE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD, JOINTLY AGREED UPON BY THE PARTIES, WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS; SIMULTANEOUS CROSS-MOTIONS FOR JUDGMENT ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD WITH SUPPORTING MEMORAN-DA ARE DUE SIXTY (60) DAYS FOLLOWING THE FILING OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD, WITH SIMULTANEOUS REPLY MEMORANDA DUE ON THE 21ST DAY THEREAFTER

WALTER H. RICE, District Judge.

Plaintiff Michael Harrison (“Harrison”) filed suit against Defendants, The PNC Financial Services Group (“PNC Group”), The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., (“PNC Financial Services”), and the National City Corporation Amended and Restated Management Severance Plan (the “Plan”) (collectively, “Defendants”),1 alleging that PNC denied him benefits that he was owed under the Plan. Harrison seeks declaratory relief, an award of benefits, attorneys’ fees and costs, civil penalties, and punitive damages based on his claims, all of which arise under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). Pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 1132(e), the Court has subject matter jurisdiction over claims arising under ERISA.

Pending before the Court is Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs Amended Complaint, filed on July 10, 2012. Doc. # 8. For the reasons set forth below, the Court will SUSTAIN in part and OVERRULE in part the Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss. The Court will dismiss Count Two of Harrison’s Amended Complaint, the claim for breach of fiduciary duty, but Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss is overruled with respect to all other claims.

In addition, the Court grants Harrison leave to file a Seconded Amended Complaint, naming the Committee administering the Plan as a party defendant, within ten (10) days of the date of this Decision and Entry.

Furthermore, the Court ORDERS the parties to file a complete administrative record, jointly agreed upon by the parties, within thirty (30) days of the date of this Decision and Entry. The parties have sixty (60) days thereafter to file simultaneous cross-motions for judgment on the administrative record, with accompanying memoranda in support. Simultaneous reply memoranda must be filed on the twenty-first (21st) day thereafter.

I. BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Harrison began working for National City Corporation (“National City”) in June of 2005. Am. Compl. ¶ 11 (Doc. # 4 at 3). National City offered a severance plan, originally drafted in 2005, to certain of its senior employees. Am. Compl. Ex. 1 ¶ 1.1 (Doc. # 4-1 at 1). On September 30, 2008, [939]*939National City implemented an updated version of the severance plan, the National City Corporation Amended and Restated Management Severance Plan (the “Plan”). Id. The Plan’s stated purpose was “to maximize the Corporation’s profitability and operating success by attracting and retaining key managerial, operational and executive employees and allowing them to focus on their responsibilities in the event of, and following, a Change in Control.” Id. ¶ 1.2. A “Change in Control” included a merger or other corporate reorganization. Id. ¶ 2.1(d). In October 2008, it was announced that PNC Group would acquire National City. Doc. # 4 at 3.

Only National City employees who met the definition of a Plan “Participant” were eligible for the severance benefits. Doc. # 4-1 ¶ 3. The Plan defined a “Participant” as an employee “within the range of grade level 1 through grade level 7” at National City, excepting employees covered by another severance plan or employment agreement on certain dates. Id. ¶ 2.1(r). Harrison alleges that his employment with National City entitled him to participate in the Plan. Doc. # 4 at 3. In addition, Harrison alleges that PNC Group advised him in writing that he was eligible for benefits under the Plan in June of 2009, well after its acquisition of National City. Id.

The Plan provided an eligible Participant with a year of severance pay. Doc. # 4-1 ¶ 4.1. The amount of severance pay included the Participant’s “base salary,” bonuses and incentive pay, and, in lieu of employee benefits, an additional one quarter percentage of the participant’s base salary. Id. The Plan set a fifteen month period as the “Protection Period,” during which time a Participant would be eligible for severance benefits if he or she faced involuntarily termination. Id. ¶¶ 2.1(u), 3.1 In addition, the Plan allowed a Participant to voluntarily terminate his or her employment and claim the severance benefits, if the Participant’s salary were reduced, or if the Participant were required to relocate to a new principal place of work more than 50 miles away. Id. ¶ 3.2.

On March 15, 2010, Harrison wrote PNC Group to provide two weeks’ notice of his intent to voluntarily terminate his employment. Am. Compl. Ex. 2 (Doc. # 4-2 at 1). PNC Group had enlarged his “assigned geographic region” to nine states in addition to Ohio. Id. Harrison alleges that this changed his principal work location by a distance of more than 50 miles, thereby entitling him to “full severance benefits” under the Plan. Id.

On April 28, 2010, PNC Group2 acknowledged receiving Harrison’s claim, informed him of its initial denial, and “advised him of his opportunity to file a claim with PNC Group’s Plan Administrator.” Doc. # 4 at 3. Thereafter, on May 25, 2010, Harrison submitted a claim for benefits under the Plan to PNC Financial Services. Id. at 4. His claim was denied on July 27, 2010. Id.

Harrison’s attorney sent a demand letter to PNC Financial Services on August 31, 2010. Am. Compl. Ex. 4 (Doc. # 4-4 at 1). The letter requested “copies of all documents, files, records, and information, which directly or indirectly relate to or concern Mr. Harrison’s demand for severance benefits,” including his personnel file and a copy of the Plan. Id. After PNC Financial Services failed to produce the documents requested, a follow up letter [940]*940was sent on September 23, 2010. Am. Compl. Ex. 5 (Doc. #4-5). PNC Financial Services responded on October 7, 2010, but refused to provide all the documents that Harrison requested. Doc. #4 at 4. Harrison made a “second level appeal” on December 3, 2010, but it was denied on December 17. Id.

On January 26, 2012, Harrison filed suit against PNC Group and PNC Financial Services, alleging the following five claims, all arising under ERISA: 1) a claim for recovery of benefits under 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a)(1)(B); 2) a claim for breach of fiduciary duty under 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a), arising from liability under 29 U.S.C. §§ 1104, 1105 & 1109; 3) a claim for attorney’s fees under 29 U.S.C.

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928 F. Supp. 2d 934, 56 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1082, 2013 WL 785328, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28603, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harrison-v-pnc-financial-services-group-ohsd-2013.