Finkel v. J&H Electrical Contracting, Inc.
Case Details
- Nature of Suit — the legal category of the dispute
- Labor: E.R.I.S.A.
- Status — whether other courts must follow this ruling
- Unknown
- Procedural Posture — the stage the case had reached
- consent decree
- State
- New York
- Circuit
- Second Circuit
Related Laws
No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Claim Types
Outcome
The court confirmed the arbitration award against the employer for failure to remit required employee benefit plan contributions under ERISA and the collective bargaining agreement, awarding $117,381.14 plus interest and attorneys' fees.
What This Ruling Means
Finkel v. J&H Electrical Contracting, Inc.
What Happened
An employee named Finkel worked for J&H Electrical Contracting, Inc. Under his union contract, the employer was required to contribute money to employee benefit plans that would provide Finkel with health insurance, retirement savings, and other benefits. The employer failed to make these required contributions, violating both the union agreement and federal benefits laws.
Court's Decision
A federal court in New York upheld an arbitration award in Finkel's favor. The court ordered J&H Electrical Contracting to pay Finkel over $118,000 in total damages, including the missing benefit contributions ($117,381), interest, and attorney's fees.
Why This Matters
This case reinforces that employers cannot simply skip required benefit contributions promised in union contracts. When companies fail to pay into health and retirement plans, workers lose out on critical financial protections. The court's decision—including attorney's fees—shows that workers can recover money and hold employers accountable for these violations. If you're part of a union with guaranteed benefits, your employer legally must contribute as promised.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
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This ruling information is sourced from public court records via CourtListener.com. Case outcomes, claim types, and summaries are extracted using AI analysis and may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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