Reedstrom v. Nova Chemicals, Inc.

SUTTON, Circuit Judge.

Brent Reedstrom sued his former employer, Nova Chemicals, for breach of contract in the Ohio Court of Common Pleas. He alleged that Nova had denied him severance benefits when the company “substantially changed ... and or eliminated” his position. Nova removed the action to federal court, claiming preemption of the state-court lawsuit under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq. Reedstrom moved to remand the case, alleging that the denied benefits did not qualify as an ERISA “employee benefit plan,” while Nova filed a motion…