Brief Case

ERISA § 606 (29 U.S.C. § 1166)

Notice requirements
USC 2024 ed., current through 2025-01-06 · current · last amended by Pub. L. 104-191
Amended effective Jan 6, 2017 by Pub. L. 104-191. See what changed
(a) In general In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary—
(1) the group health plan shall provide, at the time of commencement of coverage under the plan, written notice to each covered employee and spouse of the employee (if any) of the rights provided under this subsection,
(2) the employer of an employee under a plan must notify the administrator of a qualifying event described in paragraph (1), (2), (4), or (6) of section 1163 of this title within 30 days (or, in the case of a group health plan which is a multiemployer plan, such longer period of time as may be provided in the terms of the plan) of the date of the qualifying event,
(3) each covered employee or qualified beneficiary is responsible for notifying the administrator of the occurrence of any qualifying event described in paragraph (3) or (5) of section 1163 of this title within 60 days after the date of the qualifying event and each qualified beneficiary who is determined, under title II or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq., 1381 et seq.], to have been disabled at any time during the first 60 days of continuation coverage under this part is responsible for notifying the plan administrator of such determination within 60 days after the date of the determination and for notifying the plan administrator within 30 days after the date of any final determination under such title or titles that the qualified beneficiary is no longer disabled, and
(4) the administrator shall notify—
(A) in the case of a qualifying event described in paragraph (1), (2), (4), or (6) of section 1163 of this title, any qualified beneficiary with respect to such event, and
(B) in the case of a qualifying event described in paragraph (3) or (5) of section 1163 of this title where the covered employee notifies the administrator under paragraph (3), any qualified beneficiary with respect to such event,
of such beneficiary's rights under this subsection.
(b) Alternative means of compliance with requirements for notification of multiemployer plans by employers The requirements of subsection (a)(2) shall be considered satisfied in the case of a multiemployer plan in connection with a qualifying event described in paragraph (2) of section 1163 of this title if the plan provides that the determination of the occurrence of such qualifying event will be made by the plan administrator.
(c) Rules relating to notification of qualified beneficiaries by plan administrator For purposes of subsection (a)(4), any notification shall be made within 14 days (or, in the case of a group health plan which is a multiemployer plan, such longer period of time as may be provided in the terms of the plan) of the date on which the administrator is notified under paragraph (2) or (3), whichever is applicable, and any such notification to an individual who is a qualified beneficiary as the spouse of the covered employee shall be treated as notification to all other qualified beneficiaries residing with such spouse at the time such notification is made.
Source credit, amendments & notes

(Pub. L. 93–406, title I, §606, as added Pub. L. 99–272, title X, §10002(a), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 230; amended Pub. L. 99–509, title IX, §9501(d)(2), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 2077; Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, §1895(d)(6)(B), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2939; Pub. L. 101–239, title VI, §6703(c), title VII, §7891(d)(1)(A), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2296, 2445; Pub. L. 104–191, title IV, §421(b)(2), Aug. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2088.)

Editorial Notes
References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as amended. Titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act are classified generally to subchapters II (§401 et seq.) and XVI (§1381 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 104–191 substituted "at any time during the first 60 days of continuation coverage under this part" for "at the time of a qualifying event described in section 1163(2) of this title".

1989—Pub. L. 101–239, §7891(d)(1)(A)(ii), designated first sentence as subsec. (a), added subsec. (b), designated second sentence as subsec. (c), and substituted "For purposes of subsection (a)(4)" for "For purposes of paragraph (4)".

Pub. L. 101–239, §7891(d)(1)(A)(i)(II), inserted in last sentence "(or, in the case of a group health plan which is a multiemployer plan, such longer period of time as may be provided in the terms of the plan)" after "14 days".

Pub. L. 101–239, §7891(d)(1)(A)(i)(I), inserted "(or, in the case of a group health plan which is a multiemployer plan, such longer period of time as may be provided in the terms of the plan)" after "30 days" in par. (2).

Pub. L. 101–239, §6703(c), inserted "and each qualified beneficiary who is determined, under title II or XVI of the Social Security Act, to have been disabled at the time of a qualifying event described in section 1163(2) of this title is responsible for notifying the plan administrator of such determination within 60 days after the date of the determination and for notifying the plan administrator within 30 days after the date of any final determination under such title or titles that the qualified beneficiary is no longer disabled" before comma in par. (3).

1986—Par. (2). Pub. L. 99–509 substituted "(4), or (6)" for "or (4)".

Par. (3). Pub. L. 99–514 inserted "within 60 days after the date of the qualifying event".

Par. (4)(A). Pub. L. 99–509 substituted "(4), or (6)" for "or (4)".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–191 effective Jan. 1, 1997, regardless of whether qualifying event occurred before, on, or after such date, see section 421(d) of Pub. L. 104–191 set out as a note under section 4980B of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Amendment by section 6703(c) of Pub. L. 101–239 applicable to plan years beginning on or after Dec. 19, 1989, regardless of whether the qualifying event occurred before, on, or after such date, see section 6703(d) of Pub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 1162 of this title.

Amendment by section 7891(d)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 101–239 applicable with respect to plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 1990, see section 7891(d)(1)(C) of Pub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 4980B of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Effective Date of 1986 Amendments

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–514 applicable only with respect to qualifying events occurring after Oct. 22, 1986, see section 1895(d)(6)(D) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 162 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–509 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in title X of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, Pub. L. 99–272, see section 9501(e) of Pub. L. 99–509, set out as a note under section 162 of Title 26.

Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989

For provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§1800–1899A] of Pub. L. 99–514 require an amendment to any plan, such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first plan year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 1989, see section 1140 of Pub. L. 99–514, as amended, set out as a note under section 401 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Notification to Covered Employees

Pub. L. 99–272, title X, §10002(e), Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 232, provided that: "At the time that the amendments made by this section [enacting this part and amending section 1132 of this title] apply to a group health plan (within the meaning of section 607(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1167(1)]), the plan shall notify each covered employee, and spouse of the employee (if any), who is covered under the plan at that time of the continuation coverage required under part 6 of subtitle B of title I of such Act [this part]. The notice furnished under this subsection is in lieu of notice that may otherwise be required under section 606(1) of such Act [29 U.S.C. 1166(1)] with respect to such individuals."

ERISA § 606 (29 U.S.C. § 1166) — Notice requirements · USC 2024 ed., current through 2025-01-06 · https://pensionresource.website/EAMain?content=EAMain.Law&id=usc29-1166 · printed Oct 16, 2026
On this page
  • (a) In general
  • (b) Alternative means of compliance with requirements for notif…
  • (c) Rules relating to notification of qualified beneficiaries b…
Cited by (code & regs)

No regulations are linked to this section in the library.

Guidance addressing this section

No documents are primarily about this section.

Also cited in 4 other documents
IRS / Treasury
Notices
  • Notice 2024-86 Dec 23, 2024 — Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, Beneficiaries, Qualified Beneficiaries, and Claimants Affected by Hurricane Helene, T… (a)(3)(c)
Final Rules
  • 89 FR 88642 Nov 8, 2024 — Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, Beneficiaries, Qualified Beneficiaries, and Claimants Affected by Hurricane Helene, T… (a)(3)(c)
  • 85 FR 26351 May 4, 2020 — Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries Affected by the COVID-19 Outbreak (a)(3)(c)
Department of Labor (EBSA)
Final Rules
  • 82 FR 55507 Nov 22, 2017 — Extension of Certain Time Frames for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries Affected by Hurricane Maria (4)(a)(3)(c)

No court rulings in the library cite this provision yet.

No private letter rulings in the library cite this provision yet.

Each row is a version of the text as published by the official source. Code dates are the edition/release point that first reflected the change; regulation dates are eCFR effective dates. The library checks the official sources automatically, so new versions appear here on their own; “run” opens the sync that recorded a version.

EffectiveThroughSourceAmended by
Jan 4, 1995Jan 5, 1997USC 1994 ed., current through 1995-01-04 run 49Pub. L. 101-239View
Jan 6, 1997Jan 5, 2017USC 2013 ed., current through 2014-01-16 run 13Pub. L. 104-191View · Redline (sign in)
Jan 6, 2017currentUSC 2024 ed., current through 2025-01-06 run 1Pub. L. 104-191View · Redline (sign in)
Provision-level history (blame)