12 episodes
ERISA Watch with Elizabeth Hopkins Julie Fisher
-
- Business
ERISA stands for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and governs most of our employee benefits. While this area of law may not seem as engrossing as other areas of law such as criminal law, the impact labor laws have on our lives are just as compelling and the stakes are just as high. ERISA law blankets areas such as mental health, long-term disability, retirement accounts, life insurance, and more. ERISA watch will tell stories of individuals whose lives have been dramatically affected and show why ERISA law matters. Elizabeth Hopkins is a partner at Kantor & Kantor LLP and leads their Retirement Benefits team, is a highly regarded lawyer on ERISA class action lawsuits and is an expert analyst with Law360. Enjoy hearing Elizabeth and her guests dig deep and discuss the behind-the-scenes stories on these important cases. Real talk about real legal cases!
-
Paying the Price
On this month’s episode our host Elizabeth Hopkins interviews Ed, a father whose daughter struggled with an eating disorder when she was a teenager over a decade ago. The family had to take out a second mortgage on their home in order to pay for life-saving treatment at a residential facility after their healthcare plan insurer refused to pay and they could obtain no help from the state agency tasked with regulating health insurance. A lot has changed since that time. But more remains t...
-
A Tribute to Karen
This month’s episode is dedicated to Karen Ferguson, founder of the Pension Rights Center. The Pension Rights Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with their pension-related issues and advocating on their behalf. Our host, Elizabeth Hopkins, talks to Karen’s colleague, Norm Stein, about the Pension Rights Center and Karen’s legacy. To find out more about the Pension Rights Center and how you can help, click the link below. https://www.pensionrights.org/
-
The Vig
On this special ERISA Watch episode, our host Elizabeth Hopkins examines the upcoming Supreme Court argument in the Hughes v. Northwestern University case, which will be held on Monday December 6, 2021. In Hughes, participants in a defined-contribution retirement plan allege the plan paid too much in fees for the investments offered, but the lower courts dismissed without even considering the merits of the case. Elizabeth speaks to Former Assistant Secretary of Labor, Phyllis Borzi, abou...
-
Stigma and Substance Use Disorder
On this month’s episode, our host Elizabeth Hopkins shines a spotlight on America’s other pandemic, the opioid crisis. Even beyond the tens of thousands of deaths annually, the true effect of this wide-reaching crisis stretches far beyond calculable figures. The multifaceted problem of addiction can only be addressed when we begin with increasing empathy and rejecting the impulse to stigmatize. Elizabeth has a conversation with her colleague Elizabeth Green, and with Elizabeth’s client, ...
-
The Aftermath
In this special episode, host Elizabeth Hopkins acknowledges the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. This episode is also a check in on how well Congress is living up to its promises to more than 24,000 first responders and heroes. Introduced in 2006 and finally signed into law on January 2, 2011, the World Trade Center Health Program was designed to provide for the physical and mental healthcare for first responders. It should come as no surprise that the program was out...
-
Treating to Recovery
In our 6th episode of ERISA Watch, our host Elizabeth Hopkins discusses one of the things that attracted her about the idea of coming to Kantor & Kantor after a very fulfilling time at the US Department of Labor. Liz appreciated the way the firm helps individuals and their families navigate getting the proper treatment they are promised from their employers through the insurance companies. Specifically, those living with eating disorders. Despite the existence of the Mental Health Pa...