Cite as: 503 U. S. 318 (1992)
Opinion of the Court
meaning or suggests that construing it to incorporate traditional agency law principles would thwart the congressional design or lead to absurd results. Since the multifactor common-law test here adopted, see, e. g., id., at 751-752, contains no shorthand formula for determining who is an "employee," all of the incidents of the employment relationship must be assessed and weighed with no one factor being decisive. NLRB v. Hearst Publications, Inc., 322 U. S. 111; United States v. Silk, 331 U. S. 704; Rutherford Food Corp. v. McComb, 331 U. S. 722, distinguished. Pp. 322-327. 2. The case is remanded for a determination whether Darden qualifies as an "employee" under traditional agency law principles. P. 328. 922 F. 2d 203, reversed and remanded.
Souter, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.
George Robinson Ragsdale argued the cause for petitioners. With him on the briefs were Gordon E. McCutchan, Robert M. Parsons, Craig G. Dalton, Jr., Francis M. Gregory, Jr., and Margaret M. Richardson.
Christopher J. Wright argued the cause for the United States as amicus curiae urging reversal. With him on the brief were Solicitor General Starr, Deputy Solicitor General Mahoney, Allen H. Feldman, and Elizabeth Hopkins.
Marion G. Follin III argued the cause and filed a brief for respondent.*
Justice Souter delivered the opinion of the Court. In this case we construe the term "employee" as it appears in § 3(6) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 88 Stat. 834, 29 U. S. C. § 1002(6), and read it to incorporate traditional agency law criteria for identifying master-servant relationships.
I
From 1962 through 1980, respondent Robert Darden operated an insurance agency according to the terms of several
*Edward N. Delaney and Russell A. Hollrah filed a brief for the National Association of Independent Insurers as amicus curiae urging reversal.
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