Opinion ID: 2998260
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mr. Rose

Text: In 2000, Mr. Rose notified the Pension Fund that he was reemployed in building maintenance. Based on this representation, the Pension Fund notified Mr. Rose that his reemployment was not prohibited. The Pension Fund also received one screening card from Mr. Rose indicating that his job was in building maintenance. However, in April 2002, Mr. Rose filled out a questionnaire providing specific details about his job duties and indicating that he was working in plant maintenance, not building maintenance. According to the information Mr. Rose provided, his job duties included “service, repair and upkeep of . . . production equipment, . . . participat[ion] in installation of all equipment . . . , . . . upkeep and maintenance of the building and the grounds, and . . . maint[enance of] inventories.” R.68, Ex.J at 2. Based on Mr. Rose’s responses to the questionnaire, the Pension Fund determined that Mr. Rose was engaged in prohibited reemployment because “plant maintenance” is a job classification in which other participants were employed by a contributing employer in the same SMA. See id. at 3 (noting that “Mr. Rose is working in the same job classification as other Participants employed by a Contributing Employer . . . in the same [SMA],” and identifying collective bargaining agreement governing those jobs). Mr. Rose contends that the difference between “plant maintenance” and “building maintenance” is ambiguous. The Trustees contend, simply as a matter of fact, that “plant maintenance” is covered by a participating employer, while 18 Nos. 03-4023 & 04-1375 “building maintenance” is not. They claim that Mr. Rose’s failure to disclose that he worked in “plant maintenance” is a misrepresentation and grounds for denial of benefit. It is within the bounds of the arbitrary and capricious standard for the Pension Fund to have changed from a determination that Mr. Rose was permissibly reemployed in “building maintenance,” to the determination that he was engaged in prohibited reemployment in “plant maintenance,” based on the more complete information provided in response to the May 2002 questionnaire. See Militello, 360 F.3d at 690. Furthermore, the fact that other participants were employed by a contributing employer in the same SMA is a specific and reasonable ground on which to base the denial of benefits. The Pension Fund need not explain the reasoning behind their reason for denying Mr. Rose’s benefits. See Gallo, 102 F.3d at 922. To the extent that the Pension Fund seeks to recoup benefits paid to Mr. Rose while he was engaged in prohibited reemployment, we note that the Pension Fund consistently has maintained its right to recover payments made based on a participant’s misrepresentation. See R.68, Ex.D at 69.