Section 102 of the Act specifies information that must be included in the summary plan description. The summary plan description must accurately reflect the contents of the plans as of the date not earlier than 120 days prior to the date such summary plan description is disclosed. The following information shall be included in the summary plan description of both employee welfare benefit plans and employee pension benefit plans, except as stated otherwise in paragraphs (j) through (n):
(a) The name of the plan, and, if different, the name by which the plan is commonly known by its participants and beneficiaries;
(b) The name and address of—
(1) In the case of a single employer plan, the employer whose employees are covered by the plan,
(2) In the case of a plan maintained by an employee organization for its members, the employee organization that maintains the plan,
(3) In the case of a collectively-bargained plan established or maintained by one or more employers and one or more employee organizations, the association, committee, joint board of trustees, parent or most significantly employer of a group of employers all of which contribute to the same plan, or other similar representative of the parties who established or maintain the plan, as well as
(i) A statement that a complete list of the employers and employee organizations sponsoring the plan may be obtained by participants and beneficiaries upon written request to the plan administrator, and is available for examination by participants and beneficiaries, as required by
§§ 2520.104b-1 and 2520.104b-30; or
(ii) A statement that participants and beneficiaries may receive from the plan administrator, upon written request, information as to whether a particular employer or employee organization is a sponsor of the plan and, if the employer or employee organization is a plan sponsor, the sponsor's address.
(4) In the case of a plan established or maintained by two or more employers, the association, committee, joint board of trustees, parent or most significant employer of a group of employers all of which contribute to the same plan, or other similar representative of the parties who established or maintain the plan, as well as
(i) A statement that a complete list of the employers sponsoring the plan may be obtained by participants and beneficiaries upon written request to the plan administrator, and is available for examination by participants and beneficiaries, as required by
§§ 2520.104b-1 and 2520.104b-30, or,
(ii) A statement that participants and beneficiaries may receive from the plan administrator, upon written request, information as to whether a particular employer is a sponsor of the plan and, if the employer is a plan sponsor, the sponsor's address.
(c) The employer identification number (EIN) assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to the plan sponsor and the plan number assigned by the plan sponsor. (For further detailed explanation, see the instructions to the plan description Form EBS-1 and “Identification Numbers Under ERISA” (Publ. 1004), published jointly by DOL, IRS, and PBGC);
(d) The type of pension or welfare plan, e.g., for pension plans—defined benefit, money purchase, profit sharing, etc., and for welfare plans—hospitalization, disability, pre-paid legal service, etc.;
(e) The type of administration of the plan, e.g., control administration, insurer administration, etc.;
(f) The name, business address and business telephone number of the plan administrator as that term is defined by
section 3(16) of the Act;
(g) The name of the person designated as agent for service of legal process, and the address at which process may be served on such person, and in addition, a statement that service of legal process may be made upon a plan trustee or the plan administrator;
(h) The name, title and address of the principal place of business of each trustee of the plan;
(i) If a plan is maintained pursuant to one or more collective bargaining agreements, a statement that the plan is so maintained, and that a copy of any such agreement may be obtained by participants and beneficiaries upon written request to the plan administrator, and is available for examination by participants and beneficiaries, as required by
§§ 2520.104b-1 and 2520.104b-30. For the purpose of this paragraph, a plan is maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement if such agreement controls any duties, rights or benefits under the plan, even though such agreement has been superseded in part for other purposes;
(j) The plan's requirements respecting eligibility for participation and for benefits. The summary plan description shall describe the plan's provisions relating to eligibility to participate in the plan, such as age or years of service requirements, and the items listed in paragraph (j)(1) or (2) of this section as appropriate:
(1) For employee pension benefit plans, it shall also include a statement describing the plan's normal retirement age, as that term is defined in
section 3(24) of the Act, and a statement describing any other conditions which must be met before a participant will be eligible to receive benefits. Such plan benefits shall be described or summarized.
(2) For employee welfare benefit plans, it shall also include a statement of the conditions pertaining to eligibility to receive benefits, and a description or summary of the benefits. In the case of a welfare plan providing extensive schedules of benefits (a medical care plan, for example), only a general description is required if reference is made to detailed schedules of benefits which are available without cost to any participant or beneficiary who so requests;
(k) In the case of an employee pension benefit plan, a statement describing any joint and survivor benefits provided under the plan, including any requirement that an election be made as a condition to select or reject the joint and survivor annuity;
(l) For both pension and welfare benefit plans, a statement clearly identifying circumstances which may result in disqualification, ineligibility, or denial, loss, forfeiture or suspension of any benfits that a participant or beneficiary might otherwise reasonably expect the plan to provide on the basis of the description of benefits required by paragraphs (j) and (k) of this section.
(m) For an employee pension benefit plan the following information:
(1) If the benefits of the plan are not insured under title IV of the Act, a statement of this fact, and reason for the lack of insurance; and
(2) If the benefits of the plan are insured under title IV of the Act, a statement of this fact, a summary of the pension benefit guaranty provisions of title IV, and a statement indicating that further information on the provisions of title IV can be obtained from the plan administrator or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The address of the PBGC shall be provided.
(3) A summary plan description will be deemed to have complied with
paragraph (m)(2) of this section if it includes the following statement in the summary plan description:
Benefits under this plan are insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) if the plan terminates. Generally, the PBGC guarantees most vested normal age retirement benefits, early retirement benefits, and certain disability and survivor's pensions. However, PBGC does not guarantee all types of benefits under covered plans, and the amount of benefit protection is subject to certain limitations.
The PBGC guarantees vested benefits at the level in effect on the date of plan termination. However, if a plan has been in effect less than five years before it terminates, or if benefits have been increased within the five years before plan termination, the whole amount of the plan's vested benefits or the benefit increase may not be guaranteed. In addition, there is a ceiling on the amount of monthly benefit that PBGC guarantees, which is adjusted periodically.
For more information on the PBGC insurance protection and its limitations, ask your Plan Administrator or the PBGC. Inquiries to the PBGC should be addressed to the Office of Communications, PBGC, 2020 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. The PBGC Office of Communications may also be reached by calling (202) 254-4817.
(n) In the case of an employee pension benfit plan, a description and explanation of the plan provisions for determining years of service for eligibility to participate, vesting, and breaks in service, and years of participation for benefit accrual. The description shall state the service required to accrue full benefits and the manner in which accrual of benefits is prorated for employees failing to complete full service for a year.
(o) In the case of an employee pension benefit plan that will use the “cutback” rule of Internal Revenue Service
Revenue Ruling 76-378, IRB 1976-40, October 4, 1976, to make retroactive changes in the vesting or accrual provisions described in the summary plan description, a statement that certain provisions of the plan are subject to amendment which directly or indirectly modifies certain plan rights and benefits, the nature of such modifications, the identification by reference of such plan provisions, and the identification by reference of the portions of the summary plan description where such provisions are described. Such statement may be either printed within the text of the summary plan description or it may be printed in a separate sheet and disclosed together with the summary plan description.
(p) The sources of contributions to the plan—for example, employer, employee organization, employees—and the method by which the amount of contribution is calculated. Defined benefit pension plans may state without further explanation that the contribution is actuarially determined.
(q) The identity of any funding medium used for the accumulation of assets through which benefits are provided. The summary plan description shall identify any insurance company, trust fund, or any other institution, organization, or entity which maintains a fund on behalf of the plan or through which the plan is funded or benefits are provided. If a health insurance issuer, within the meaning of
section 733(b)(2) of the Act, is responsible, in whole or in part, for the financing or administration of a group health plan, the summary plan description shall indicate the name and address of the issuer, whether and to what extent benefits under the plan are guaranteed under a contract or policy of insurance issued by the issuer, and the nature of any administrative services (e.g., payment of claims) provided by the issuer.
(r) The date of the end of the year for purposes of maintaining the plan's fiscal records;
(s) The procedures to be followed in presenting claims for benefits under the plan and the remedies available under the plan for the redress of claims which are denied in whole or in part (including procedures required under
section 503 of title I of the Act); and
(t)
(1) The statement of ERISA rights described in
section 104(c) of the Act, containing the items of information applicable to the plan included in the model statement of
paragraph (t)(2) of this section. Items which are not applicable to the plan are not required to be included. The statement may contain explanatory and descriptive provisions in addition to those prescribed in
paragraph (t)(2) of this section. However, the style and format of the statement shall not have the effect of misleading, misinforming or failing toinform participants and beneficiaries of a plan. All such information shall be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the average plan participant, taking into account factors such as the level of comprehension and education of typical participants in the plan and the complexity of the items required under this subparagraph to be included in the statement. Inaccurate, incomprehensible or misleading explanatory material will fail to meet the requirements of this section. The statement of ERISA rights (the model statement or a statement prepared by the plan), must appear as one consolidated statement. If a plan finds it desirable to make additional mention of certain rights elsewhere in the summary plan description, it may do so. The summary plan description may state that the statement of ERISA rights is required by Federal law and regulation.
(2) A summary plan description will be deemed to comply with the requirements of paragraph (e)(1) of the section if it includes the following statement; items of information which are not applicable to a particular plan may be deleted:
As a participant in (name of plan) you are entitled to certain rights and protections under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). ERISA provides that all plan participants shall be entitled to:
Examine, without charge, at the plan administrator's office and at other specified locations, such as worksites and union halls, all plan documents, including insurance contracts, collective bargaining agreements and copies of all documents filed by the plan with the U.S. Department of Labor, such as detailed annual reports and plan descriptions.
Obtain copies of all plan documents and other plan information upon written request to the plan administrator. The administrator may make a reasonable charge for the copies.
Receive a summary of the plan's annual financial report. The plan administrator is required by law to furnish each participant with a copy of this summary annual report.
Obtain a statement telling you whether you have a right to receive a pension at normal retirement age (age * * *) and if so, what your benefits would be at normal retirement age if you stop working under the plan now. If you do not have a right to a pension, the statement will tell you how many more years you have to work to get a right to a pension. This statement must be requested in writing and is not required to be given more than once a year. The plan must provide the statement free of charge.
In addition to creating rights for plan participants ERISA imposes duties upon the people who are responsible for the operation of the employee benefit plan. The people who operate your plan, called “fiduciaries” of the plan, have a duty to do so prudently and in the interest of you and other plan participants and beneficiaries. No one, including your employer, your union, or any other person, may fire you or otherwise discriminate against you in any way to prevent you from obtaining a (pension, welfare) benefit or exercising your rights under ERISA. If your claim for a (pension, welfare) benefit is denied in whole or in part you must receive a written explanation of the reason for the denial. You have the right to have the plan review and reconsider your claim. Under ERISA, there are steps you can take to enforce the above rights. For instance, if you request materials from the plan and do not receive them within 30 days, you may file suit in a Federal court. In such a case, the court may require the plan administrator to provide the materials and pay you up to $100 a day until you receive the materials, unless the materials were not sent because of reasons beyond the control of the administrator. If you have a claim for benefits which is denied or ignored, in whole or in part, you may file suit in a state or Federal court. If it should happen that plan fiduciaries misuse the plan's money, or if you are discriminated against for asserting your rights, you may seek assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, or you may file suit in a Federal court. The court will decide who should pay court costs and legal fees. If you are successful the court may order the person you have sued to pay these costs andfees. If you lose, the court may order you to pay these costs and fees, for example, if it finds your claim is frivolous. If you have any questions about your plan, you should contact the plan administrator. If you have any questions about this statement or about your rights under ERISA, you should contact the nearest office of the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, listed in your telephone directory or the Division of Technical Assistance and Inquiries, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210.
(u) In the case of a group health plan, as defined in
section 733(a)(1) of the Act, that provides maternity or newborn infant coverage, a statement indicating the following: Group health plans and health insurance issuers generally may not, under Federal law, restrict benefits for any hospital length of stay in connection with childbirth for the mother or newborn child to less than 48 hours following a vaginal delivery, or less than 96 hours following a cesarean section. However, Federal law generally does not prohibit the mother's or newborn's attending provider, after consulting with the mother, from discharging the mother or her newborn earlier than 48 hours (or 96 hours as applicable). In any case, plans and issuers may not, under Federal law, require that a provider obtain authorization from the plan or the issuer for prescribing a length of stay not in excess of 48 hours (or 96 hours).
(v) Applicability dates.
(1) The information described in the last sentence of paragraph (q) and in the last sentence of paragraph (t)(2) shall be treated as a change in the information required to be included in the summary plan description for a group health plan for purposes of
29 CFR 2520.104b-3, except that such information shall be furnished to each participant covered under the plan and each beneficiary receiving benefits under the plan not later than 60 days after the first day of the first plan year beginning after June 30, 1997.
(2) The information described in
paragraph (u) of this section shall be furnished to each participant covered under a group health plan and each beneficiary receiving benefits under a group health plan not later than 60 days after the first day of the first plan year beginning on or after January 1, 1998.
Source credit, amendments & notes
[42 FR 37180, July 19, 1977, as amended at 62 FR 16984, Apr. 8, 1997; 62 FR 31695, June 10, 1997; 62 FR 36205, July 7, 1997; 63 FR 48375, Sept. 9, 1998]
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1210-0039)
29 C.F.R. § 2520.102-3 — Contents of summary plan description. · CFR 2000 annual edition (revised as of 2000-07-01) · https://pensionresource.website/EAMain?content=EAMain.Law&id=cfr29-2520.102-3&asof=1999-07-01 · printed Oct 16, 2026