that's the bottomline issue as far as I'm concerned ...
I hope these folks are successful; and, have a case which will help others.
http://www.workplacefairness.org /
The class action playing field is changed by recent legislation ... and all but a handful (10 have been blocked?) of the federal judicial appointees are getting through. I see it as our organic, human world being plasticized or corporatized. As Gore Vidal says, we're hardly citizens and voters anymore...just consumers ... and, corporations have more rights than people.
http://citypages.com/databank/26/1268/article13085.asp I fear that somewhere in the policy manual is some clause which says the company can do whatever and change whatever we want whenever we want.
What ERISA rights?
http://www.nolo.com/definition.cfm/Term/C949D2AB-5E95-4... /
Often, most employees just go about the daily routine, month after month, year after year; and, really have no need to look beyond the large print and company-provided lawyer-proofed benefit manuals ... and, if they have to ... when forced to have to learn just exactly what benefits and rights are there ... it's often an eye-opener. There are documents beyond what is issued for desk-top perusal.