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MLB Sued by Retired Umps Over Pension Shortfall
5 Nov
Summary
- Retired umpires sue MLB for underpaying pension benefits.
- Lawsuit alleges intentional miscalculation of retirement income.
- Umpires seek millions allegedly lost due to faulty plan.
A federal lawsuit was filed on September 29 in the Southern District of New York by five recently retired Major League Baseball umpires. The suit claims they were systematically underpaid in their retirement income plan. Among the plaintiffs is Joe West, who officiated more games than any other umpire in baseball history.
Attorneys for the umpires allege that MLB misapplied the retirement plan's rules, specifically regarding actuarial increases for deferred benefits. The lawsuit suggests MLB intentionally obscured higher benefit amounts after age 62 to encourage earlier retirement. The umpires involved have a combined 179 seasons of major-league service and retired after 2021.
Despite MLB admitting some mistakes and offering partial reimbursement, the umpires rejected the offer as inadequate. They believe the underpayments were intentional, citing a pattern of errors. The total potential loss for the five plaintiffs is estimated at approximately $2 million.
