Former employees of certain companies, or their survivors, may be able to claim significant benefits as a result of a class action legal settlement. The benefits are payable under a 1996 settlement with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), involving some 12,000 pension plans nationwide that were terminated between 1976 and 1981. For a list of companies, see Company Listings.

Workers in those plans who did not receive appropriate benefits are now entitled to them plus interest. Many thousands of missing workers identified thus far have received payments averaging between $10,000 and $12,000.

Employees whose addresses were available were contacted directly as part of the settlement.  However, thousands of employees or their surviviors have not yet been paid because they have not been located.

Under the Wrap Up Agreement for this case, the processing of NEW claims ended on August 31, 2002. If your name was in the class action database on August 31, 2002, you may claim your benefit. An individual may check on the status of a claim or supply information related to a claim, such as a current address, by calling the PBGC at 1-800-316-8857.

Please go to the Pension Search page for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and search for the name of the person who you think is a class member.

You may also get information from the attorney for the class, Stephen R. Bruce, by calling (202) 289-1118.

For complete contact information, please visit our help page.