In the case of a pension or other employee benefit plan, or any sponsor, administrator, participant, beneficiary, or other person with respect to such plan, affected by a Presidentially declared disaster (as defined in
section 1033(h)(3) of title 26)
1 a terroristic or military action (as defined in
section 692(c)(2) of such title), or a public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 247d of title 42, the Secretary may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, prescribe, by notice or otherwise, a period of up to 1 year which may be disregarded in determining the date by which any action is required or permitted to be completed under this chapter. No plan shall be treated as failing to be operated in accordance with the terms of the plan solely as the result of disregarding any period by reason of the preceding sentence.
Source credit, amendments & notes
(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, §518, as added Pub. L. 107–134, title I, §112(c)(1), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2434; amended Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, §3607, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 412.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 93–406, known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Titles I, III, and IV of such Act are classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
2020—Pub. L. 116–136 substituted "a terroristic or military action (as defined in section 692(c)(2) of such title), or a public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 247d of title 42, the Secretary may" for "or a terroristic or military action (as defined in section 692(c)(2) of such title), the Secretary may".
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section applicable to disasters and terroristic or military actions occurring on or after Sept. 11, 2001, with respect to any action of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation occurring on or after Jan. 23, 2002, see section 112(f) of Pub. L. 107–134, set out as an Effective Date of 2002 Amendment note under section 6081 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
ERISA § 518 (29 U.S.C. § 1148) — Authority to postpone certain deadlines by reason of Presidentially declared disaster or terroristic or military actions · USC 2024 ed., current through 2025-01-06 · https://pensionresource.website/EAMain?content=EAMain.Law&id=usc29-1148 · printed Oct 16, 2026