ERISA’s Next Battlefield: Voluntary Benefits Lawsuits, Broker Commissions, and Fiduciary Exposure (Ep. 42)
Wed Jan 28 2026
Voluntary benefits. ERISA exposure. Data transparency.
In this episode of The Benefit Whisperer, Ralph Weber welcomes back ERISA attorney Julie Selesnick to discuss three legal developments reshaping employer-sponsored health plans:
The rise of voluntary benefit lawsuits targeting employers and brokers
Why the Mayo Clinic case survived dismissal—and what it signals for plan sponsors
How carriers and TPAs restrict access to claims data employers are legally entitled to
Julie explains why fiduciary responsibility doesn’t disappear when benefits are “voluntary,” how plan documents and vendor contracts create real liability, and what employers must do now to reduce risk.
A must-listen for CFOs, HR leaders, brokers, and anyone responsible for plan governance.
The Benefit Whisperer
FREE CONSULTATION: bit.ly/4qMqLbz
www.thebenefitwhisperer.com
ralph@thebenefitwhisperer.com
(832) 924-3330
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Voluntary benefits. ERISA exposure. Data transparency. In this episode of The Benefit Whisperer, Ralph Weber welcomes back ERISA attorney Julie Selesnick to discuss three legal developments reshaping employer-sponsored health plans: The rise of voluntary benefit lawsuits targeting employers and brokers Why the Mayo Clinic case survived dismissal—and what it signals for plan sponsors How carriers and TPAs restrict access to claims data employers are legally entitled to Julie explains why fiduciary responsibility doesn’t disappear when benefits are “voluntary,” how plan documents and vendor contracts create real liability, and what employers must do now to reduce risk. A must-listen for CFOs, HR leaders, brokers, and anyone responsible for plan governance. The Benefit Whisperer FREE CONSULTATION: bit.ly/4qMqLbz www.thebenefitwhisperer.com ralph@thebenefitwhisperer.com (832) 924-3330