Opinion ID: 3013299
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Tenth Circuit - Bronk

Text: Bronk also rejected statutory grounds for determining benefit program eligibility. In succinct language, the Tenth Circuit disagreed with the district court that ERISA’s minimum participation standards required that leased employees who met the test for common law employee status be automatically included in the company’s plan, whether or not they were excluded under the terms of the plan. Bronk, 140 F.3d at 1338. The Tenth Circuit emphasized, while that plans could not discriminate based upon age or length of service, the employer need not include in its pension plans all employees who meet the test of common law employees. Id. As statutory support for this conclusion, the Tenth Circuit cited the language found in 29 U.S.C. 1052(a)(4), referring to employees who were otherwise entitled to participate in the plan. See Part IV.B.2 and note 17 supra. It concluded that this language would be superfluous unless Congress intended that plans could impose other participation requirements besides age or length of service. Id. at 1138. We agree.