29 U.S.C. § 1024 | Filing with Secretary and furnishing information to participants and certain employers

(a)

Filing of annual report with Secretary

(1)

The administrator of any employee benefit plan subject to this part shall file with the Secretary the annual report for a plan year within 210 days after the close of such year (or within such time as may be required by regulations promulgated by the Secretary in order to reduce duplicative filing). The Secretary shall make copies of such annual reports available for inspection in the public document room of the Department of Labor.

(2)

(A)

With respect to annual reports required to be filed with the Secretary under this part, the Secretary may by regulation prescribe simplified annual reports for any pension plan that—

(i)

covers fewer than 100 participants; or

(ii)

section 1060(a) of this title is a plan described in that covers fewer than 1,000 participants, but only if no single employer in the plan has 100 or more participants covered by the plan.

(B)

Nothing contained in this paragraph shall preclude the Secretary from requiring any information or data from any such plan to which this part applies where he finds such data or information is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter nor shall the Secretary be precluded from revoking provisions for simplified reports for any such plan if he finds it necessary to do so in order to carry out the objectives of this subchapter.

(3)

The Secretary may by regulation exempt any welfare benefit plan from all or part of the reporting and disclosure requirements of this subchapter, or may provide for simplified reporting and disclosure if he finds that such requirements are inappropriate as applied to welfare benefit plans.

(4)

The Secretary may reject any filing under this section—

(A)

if he determines that such filing is incomplete for purposes of this part; or

(B)

section 1023(a)(4)(B) of this title if he determines that there is any material qualification by an accountant or actuary contained in an opinion submitted pursuant to section 1023(a)(3)(A) or .

(5)

If the Secretary rejects a filing of a report under paragraph (4) and if a revised filing satisfactory to the Secretary is not submitted within 45 days after the Secretary makes his determination under paragraph (4) to reject the filing, and if the Secretary deems it in the best interest of the participants, he may take any one or more of the following actions—

(A)

section 1023(a)(3)(D) of this title retain an independent qualified public accountant (as defined in ) on behalf of the participants to perform an audit,

(B)

section 1023(a)(4)(C) of this title retain an enrolled actuary (as defined in ) on behalf of the plan participants, to prepare an actuarial statement,

(C)

bring a civil action for such legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to enforce the provisions of this part, or

(D)

take any other action authorized by this subchapter.

The administrator shall permit such accountant or actuary to inspect whatever books and records of the plan are necessary for such audit. The plan shall be liable to the Secretary for the expenses for such audit or report, and the Secretary may bring an action against the plan in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover such expenses.

(6)

The administrator of any employee benefit plan subject to this part shall furnish to the Secretary, upon request, any documents relating to the employee benefit plan, including but not limited to, the latest summary plan description (including any summaries of plan changes not contained in the summary plan description), and the bargaining agreement, trust agreement, contract, or other instrument under which the plan is established or operated.

(b)

Publication of summary plan description and annual report to participants and beneficiaries of plan

Publication of the summary plan descriptions and annual reports shall be made to participants and beneficiaries of the particular plan as follows:

(1)

section 1022(a) of this title The administrator shall furnish to each participant, and each beneficiary receiving benefits under the plan, a copy of the summary plan description, and all modifications and changes referred to in —

(A)

within 90 days after he becomes a participant, or (in the case of a beneficiary) within 90 days after he first receives benefits, or

(B)

if later, within 120 days after the plan becomes subject to this part.

section 1022 of this title section 1022 of this title section 1022(a) of this title section 1191b(a)(1) of this title section 1022(a) of this title section 1191b(a)(1) of this titleAugust 21, 1996The administrator shall furnish to each participant, and each beneficiary receiving benefits under the plan, every fifth year after the plan becomes subject to this part an updated summary plan description described in which integrates all plan amendments made within such five-year period, except that in a case where no amendments have been made to a plan during such five-year period this sentence shall not apply. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the administrator shall furnish to each participant, and to each beneficiary receiving benefits under the plan, the summary plan description described in every tenth year after the plan becomes subject to this part. If there is a modification or change described in (other than a material reduction in covered services or benefits provided in the case of a group health plan (as defined in )), a summary description of such modification or change shall be furnished not later than 210 days after the end of the plan year in which the change is adopted to each participant, and to each beneficiary who is receiving benefits under the plan. If there is a modification or change described in that is a material reduction in covered services or benefits provided under a group health plan (as defined in ), a summary description of such modification or change shall be furnished to participants and beneficiaries not later than 60 days after the date of the adoption of the modification or change. In the alternative, the plan sponsors may provide such description at regular intervals of not more than 90 days. The Secretary shall issue regulations within 180 days after , providing alternative mechanisms to delivery by mail through which group health plans (as so defined) may notify participants and beneficiaries of material reductions in covered services or benefits.

(2)

The administrator shall make copies of the latest updated summary plan description and the latest annual report and the bargaining agreement, trust agreement, contract, or other instruments under which the plan was established or is operated available for examination by any plan participant or beneficiary in the principal office of the administrator and in such other places as may be necessary to make available all pertinent information to all participants (including such places as the Secretary may prescribe by regulations).

(3)

section 1021(f) of this title 1

1 So in original. Probably should be “apply)”.

section 1023(b)(3) of this title section 1023(d)(11) of this title Within 210 days after the close of the fiscal year of the plan, the administrator (other than an administrator of a defined benefit plan to which the requirements of applies)  shall furnish to each participant, and to each beneficiary receiving benefits under the plan, a copy of the statements and schedules, for such fiscal year, described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of and such other material (including the percentage determined under ) as is necessary to fairly summarize the latest annual report.

(4)

2 So in original. Comma probably should not appear.

The administrator shall, upon written request of any participant or beneficiary, furnish a copy of the latest updated summary, plan description, and the latest annual report, any terminal report, the bargaining agreement, trust agreement, contract, or other instruments under which the plan is established or operated. The administrator may make a reasonable charge to cover the cost of furnishing such complete copies. The Secretary may by regulation prescribe the maximum amount which will constitute a reasonable charge under the preceding sentence.

(5)

Identification and basic plan information and actuarial information included in the annual report for any plan year shall be filed with the Secretary in an electronic format which accommodates display on the Internet, in accordance with regulations which shall be prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall provide for display of such information included in the annual report, within 90 days after the date of the filing of the annual report, on an Internet website maintained by the Secretary and other appropriate media. Such information shall also be displayed on any Intranet website maintained by the plan sponsor (or by the plan administrator on behalf of the plan sponsor) for the purpose of communicating with employees and not the public, in accordance with regulations which shall be prescribed by the Secretary.

(c)

Statement of rights

The Secretary may by regulation require that the administrator of any employee benefit plan furnish to each participant and to each beneficiary receiving benefits under the plan a statement of the rights of participants and beneficiaries under this subchapter.

(d)

Furnishing summary plan information to employers and employee representatives of multiemployer plans

(1)

In general

With respect to a multiemployer plan subject to this section, within 30 days after the due date under subsection (a)(1) for the filing of the annual report for the fiscal year of the plan, the administrators shall furnish to each employee organization and to each employer with an obligation to contribute to the plan a report that contains—

(A)

a description of the contribution schedules and benefit formulas under the plan, and any modification to such schedules and formulas, during such plan year;

(B)

the number of employers obligated to contribute to the plan;

(C)

a list of the employers that contributed more than 5 percent of the total contributions to the plan during such plan year;

(D)

the number of participants under the plan on whose behalf no contributions were made by an employer as an employer of the participant for such plan year and for each of the 2 preceding plan years;

(E)

section 1085 of this title whether the plan was in critical or endangered status under for such plan year and, if so, include—

(i)

a list of the actions taken by the plan to improve its funding status; and

(ii)

section 1085 of this title a statement describing how a person may obtain a copy of the plan’s funding improvement or rehabilitation plan, as applicable, adopted under and the actuarial and financial data that demonstrate any action taken by the plan toward fiscal improvement;

(F)

the number of employers that withdrew from the plan during the preceding plan year and the aggregate amount of withdrawal liability assessed, or estimated to be assessed, against such withdrawn employers, as reported on the annual report for the plan year to which the report under this subsection relates;

(G)

in the case of a multiemployer plan that has merged with another plan or to which assets and liabilities have been transferred, the actuarial valuation of the assets and liabilities of each affected plan during the year preceding the effective date of the merger or transfer, based upon the most recent data available as of the day before the first day of the plan year, or other valuation method performed under standards and procedures as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation;

(H)

a description as to whether the plan—

(i)

section 1084(d) of this title section 431(d) of title 26 sought or received an amortization extension under or for such plan year; or

(ii)

section 1085 of this title used the shortfall funding method (as such term is used in ) for such plan year; and

(I)

notification of the right under this section of the recipient to a copy of the annual report filed with the Secretary under subsection (a), summary plan description, summary of any material modification of the plan, upon written request, but that—

(i)

in no case shall a recipient be entitled to receive more than one copy of any such document described during any one 12-month period; and

(ii)

the administrator may make a reasonable charge to cover copying, mailing, and other costs of furnishing copies of information pursuant to this subparagraph.

(2)

Effect of subsection

Nothing in this subsection waives any other provision under this subchapter requiring plan administrators to provide, upon request, information to employers that have an obligation to contribute under the plan.

(e)

Cross references

section 1204 of this titleFor regulations respecting coordination of reports to the Secretaries of Labor and the Treasury, see .

Pub. L. 93–406, title I, § 104Sept. 2, 197488 Stat. 847 Pub. L. 99–272, title XI, § 11016(b)(2)Apr. 7, 1986100 Stat. 273 Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, § 9342(a)(2)Dec. 22, 1987101 Stat. 1330–371 Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7894(b)(3)Dec. 19, 1989103 Stat. 2448 Pub. L. 104–191, title I, § 101(c)(1)Aug. 21, 1996110 Stat. 1951 Pub. L. 104–204, title VI, § 603(b)(3)(D)Sept. 26, 1996110 Stat. 2938 Pub. L. 105–34, title XV, § 1503(c)(1)Aug. 5, 1997111 Stat. 1062 Pub. L. 109–280, title VAug. 17, 2006120 Stat. 943–945 Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 105(c)(1)Dec. 23, 2008122 Stat. 5105 Pub. L. 116–94, div. O, title I, § 101(d)(2)Dec. 20, 2019133 Stat. 3145(, , ; , , ; , , ; , (4), , ; , , ; , , ; , (2)(A), (d)(1)–(3), , ; , §§ 503(c)(1), (d), 504(a), , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 116–942019—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). added subpar. (A) and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “With respect to annual reports required to be filed with the Secretary under this part, he may by regulation prescribe simplified annual reports for any pension plan which covers less than 100 participants.”

Pub. L. 110–458, § 105(c)(1)(A)(ii)2008—Subsec. (b)(3). , which directed substitution of “the administrator” for “the administrators” in par. (3), could not be executed because the words “the administrators” did not appear.

Pub. L. 110–458, § 105(c)(1)(A)(i), substituted “section 1021(f)” for “section 1023(f)”.

Pub. L. 110–458, § 105(c)(1)(B)Subsec. (d)(1)(E)(ii). , inserted “funding” after “plan’s”.

Pub. L. 109–280, § 503(d)(1)2006—, substituted “participants and certain employers” for “participants” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 109–280, § 503(c)(1)section 1023(f) of this titleSubsec. (b)(3). , which directed amendment of par. (3) by inserting “(other than an administrator of a defined benefit plan to which the requirements of applies)” after “the administrators”, was executed by making the insertion after “the administrator”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 109–280, § 504(a)Subsec. (b)(5). , added par. (5).

Pub. L. 109–280, § 503(d)(2)Subsecs. (d), (e). , (3), added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).

Pub. L. 105–34, § 1503(c)(1)1997—Subsec. (a)(1). , amended par. (1) generally, substituting present provisions for provisions requiring filing of annual report, plan description, summary plan description, as well as modifications and changes in plan descriptions.

Pub. L. 105–34, § 1503(c)(2)(A)Subsec. (a)(6). , added par. (6).

Pub. L. 105–34, § 1503(d)(1)section 1022(a) of this title section 1022(a)(1) of this titleSubsec. (b)(1). , substituted “” for “” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 105–34, § 1503(d)(2)Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “the latest updated summary plan description and” for “the plan description and”.

Pub. L. 105–34, § 1503(d)(3)Subsec. (b)(4). , struck out “plan description” before “, plan description, and the latest annual report”.

Pub. L. 104–204 section 1191b of this title1996—Subsec. (b)(1). made technical amendment to references in original act which appear in text as references to .

Pub. L. 104–191 section 1191b(a)(1) of this title section 1022(a)(1) of this title section 1191b(a)(1) of this titleAugust 21, 1996, in closing provisions, substituted “1022(a)(1) of this title (other than a material reduction in covered services or benefits provided in the case of a group health plan (as defined in )),” for “1022(a)(1) of this title,” and inserted at end “If there is a modification or change described in that is a material reduction in covered services or benefits provided under a group health plan (as defined in ), a summary description of such modification or change shall be furnished to participants and beneficiaries not later than 60 days after the date of the adoption of the modification or change. In the alternative, the plan sponsors may provide such description at regular intervals of not more than 90 days. The Secretary shall issue regulations within 180 days after , providing alternative mechanisms to delivery by mail through which group health plans (as so defined) may notify participants and beneficiaries of material reductions in covered services or benefits.”

Pub. L. 101–239, § 7894(b)(3)1989—Subsec. (a)(5)(B). , substituted a comma for period at end.

Pub. L. 101–239, § 7894(b)(4)Subsec. (b)(1). , struck out comma after “summary”.

Pub. L. 100–203 section 1023(d)(11) of this title1987—Subsec. (b)(3). inserted “(including the percentage determined under )” after “material”.

Pub. L. 99–272 section 1023(d)(6) of this title section 1023(d)(6) of this title1986—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). struck out provision permitting the Secretary to waive or modify the requirements of if he found that the interests of the plan participants were not harmed and the expense of compliance was not justified by the needs of the participants, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and the Department of Labor for some portion or all of the information otherwise required under .

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2019 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–94Dec. 31, 2020section 101(e) of Pub. L. 116–94 section 408 of Title 26Amendment by applicable to plan years beginning after , see , set out as a note under , Internal Revenue Code.

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–458 Pub. L. 109–280 section 112 of Pub. L. 110–458 section 72 of Title 26Amendment by effective as if included in the provisions of to which the amendment relates, except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under , Internal Revenue Code.

Effective Date of 2006 Amendment

Pub. L. 109–280Dec. 31, 2007section 503(f) of Pub. L. 109–280 section 1021 of this titleAmendment by section 503(c)(1), (d) of applicable to plan years beginning after , see , set out as a note under .

Pub. L. 109–280, title V, § 504(b)Aug. 17, 2006120 Stat. 945

December 31, 2007“The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to plan years beginning after .”

, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1996 Amendments

Pub. L. 104–204Jan. 1, 1998section 603(c) of Pub. L. 104–204 section 1003 of this titleAmendment by applicable with respect to group health plans for plan years beginning on or after , see set out as a note under .

Pub. L. 104–191June 30, 1997section 101(g) of Pub. L. 104–191 section 1181 of this titleAmendment by applicable with respect to group health plans for plan years beginning after , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Pub. L. 101–239 Pub. L. 93–406 section 7894(i) of Pub. L. 101–239 section 1002 of this titleAmendment by effective, except as otherwise provided, as if originally included in the provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, , to which such amendment relates, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–203Dec. 31, 1987section 9342(d)(1) of Pub. L. 100–203 section 1132 of this titleAmendment by applicable with respect to reports required to be filed after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–272Jan. 1, 1986section 11019 of Pub. L. 99–272 section 1341 of this titleAmendment by effective , with certain exceptions, see , set out as a note under .

Regulations

Sept. 2, 1974section 1031 of this titleSecretary authorized, effective , to promulgate regulations wherever provisions of this subchapter call for the promulgation of regulations, see .

Model Notices and Forms

section 503(e) of Pub. L. 109–280 section 1021 of this titleFor provisions requiring the Secretary of Labor to publish a model form for providing the statements, schedules, and other material required to be provided under subsec. (d) of this section, see , set out as a note under .