15 Jul Civil Penalties Adjusted with Interim Final Rule for ERISA Violations
Released by the United States Department of Labor through The Federal Register on July 1, 2016.
Effective August 1, 2016, the amounts for civil penalties will be adjusted as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.
The interim final rule made adjustments to the civil monetary penalties enforced by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The adjustments apply to penalties assessed after August 1, 2016, whose violations occurred after November 2, 2015.
Some highlights of the new penalty amounts for ERISA violations include:
- The maximum penalty for failure/refusal to properly file a plan annual report (Form 5500) increased from $1,100 per day to $2,063 per day the Form 5500 is late.
- The maximum penalty for failure to provide a Summary of Benefits Coverage under the Public Health Services Act increased from $1,000 per failure to $1,087 per failure.
- The maximum penalty for failure to provide an automatic contribution arrangement notice under ERISA increased from $1,000 per day to $1,632 per day.
- The penalty for providing required CHIP notices under ERISA is increased from $100 per day to $110 per day
- The maximum penalty for failure of a multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) to file a report required by regulations issued under ERISA increased from $1,100 per day to $1,502 per day.
- The maximum penalty for failure to furnish reports (e.g., pension benefit statements) to former participants and beneficiaries or maintain records increased from $11 per employee to $28 per employee.
- The maximum penalty for failure to comply with ERISA requirements relating to genetic information increased from $100 per day to $110 per day.
To read the full release from The Federal Register, click here.