Opinion ID: 2998260
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mr. Helvey and Mr. Paule

Text: Mr. Helvey had worked as a dockworker when he earned credit with the Pension Fund, and he became reemployed with a building supply company. Based on Mr. Helvey’s responses to a March 2002 questionnaire, the Pension Fund notified him that he was engaged in prohibited reemploy- 4 In the section of their brief concerning the individual benefit determinations, the plaintiffs also mention Mr. Arwood. However, neither party directs any arguments towards him. Therefore, we shall not discuss him. 16 Nos. 03-4023 & 04-1375 ment because he was in the same job classification in which other participants were employed by a contributing employer in the same SMA. R.68, Ex.M at 6. Ultimately, Mr. Helvey was given approval from the Pension Fund to continue to work for the company with whom he had sought reemployment, as long as he did not work with stocking, repairing, or driving; he was limited to janitorial duties. Mr. Paule worked as a driver for a plumbing supply company when he earned credit with the Pension Fund, and he later became reemployed with a plumbing company. At the plumbing company, he did “building maintenance, inventory control, lawn and garden, and custodian/janitor duties.” R.68, Ex.K at 1. Based on Mr. Paule’s responses to a February 2002 questionnaire, the Pension Fund notified him that he was engaged in prohibited reemployment because he was working “in the same industry in which Mr. Paule . . . earned any Contributory Service Credit.” Id. at 4 (alterations in original; internal quotations omitted). The plaintiffs allege that it was inconsistent for the Pension Fund to permit Mr. Helvey to continue working as a janitor, while Mr. Paule, who also did work involving custodial or janitorial duties, was deemed to be in prohibited reemployment, when the two men worked in the same SMA. The Trustees contend that the plaintiffs’ arguments obscure the key differences between the terminations of benefits for Mr. Helvey and Mr. Paule. Mr. Paule’s benefits were terminated for prohibited reemployment because he was working in the same industry in which he had worked when he earned credit with the Pension Fund; Mr. Helvey, on the other hand, had been subject to termination of benefits for working in the same job classification as other plan participants in the same SMA. Nos. 03-4023 & 04-1375 17 We must conclude that the Pension Fund has given a specific reason for its denial, and one that is supported reasonably by the evidence. See Gallo, 102 F.3d at 922.