Albert C. McNAB, Et Al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, Defendant-Appellee

**General Motors Early Retirement Case** This case involved General Motors employees who were upset about how the company selected workers for an early retirement program. The employees claimed GM unfairly chose who could participate in the program, arguing this violated their employment contracts and retirement plan rights. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of General Motors. The court found that GM had the legal right under ERISA (federal retirement law) to create a discretionary early retirement program and decide who could participate. The judges determined that GM's selection process followed the plan's written rules and wasn't unreasonably unfair or arbitrary. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling shows that employers have significant control over voluntary early retirement programs. Companies can legally limit who participates in these programs as long as they follow their written policies and don't make completely unreasonable decisions. Workers cannot automatically assume they'll be included in early retirement offers, even if they meet basic eligibility requirements. If your employer offers early retirement, carefully review the selection criteria and understand that the company likely has discretion in choosing participants. This decision reinforces that employers have broad authority over discretionary benefit programs.