Title 29

SECTION 4042.4

4042.4 Disclosure of information by plan administrator or plan sponsor.

§ 4042.4 Disclosure of information by plan administrator or plan sponsor.

(a) Request for Information - (1) In general. Beginning on the third business day (as defined in § 4000.22 of this chapter) after PBGC has issued a notice under section 4042 of ERISA that a plan should be terminated, an affected party may make a request to the plan sponsor or the plan administrator (or both) for any information that such plan administrator or plan sponsor has submitted to PBGC in connection with the plan termination.

(2) Requirements. A request under paragraph (a) of this section must:

(i) Be in writing to the plan administrator or plan sponsor;

(ii) State the name of the plan and that the request is for information submitted to PBGC in connection with the plan termination;

(iii) State the name of the person making the request for information and such person's relationship to the plan (e.g., plan participant), and that such relationship meets the definition of affected party under § 4001.2 of this chapter; and

(iv) Be signed by the person making the request.

(b) Response by Plan Administrator or Plan Sponsor - (1) Timing of response. A plan administrator or plan sponsor that receives a request under paragraph (a) of this section must provide the information requested not later than the 15th business day (as defined in § 4000.22 of this chapter) after receipt of the request.

(2) Supplemental responses. If, at any time after receipt of a request under paragraph (a), the plan administrator or plan sponsor submits additional information to PBGC in connection with the plan termination, the plan administrator or plan sponsor must provide such additional information to any affected party that has made a request under paragraph (a), not later than the 15th business day (as defined in § 4000.22 of this chapter) after the information is submitted to PBGC.

(3) Confidential information. (i) In responding to a request under paragraph (a) of this section, the plan administrator or plan sponsor shall not provide information that may, directly or indirectly, identify an individual participant or beneficiary.

(ii) A plan administrator or plan sponsor that has received a request under paragraph (a) of this section may seek a court order under which confidential information described in section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code -

(A) Will be disclosed only to authorized representatives (within the meaning of section 4041(c)(2)(D)(iv) of ERISA) that agree, to ensure the confidentiality of such information, and

(B) Will not be disclosed to other affected parties.

(4) Reasonable fees. Under section 4042(c)(3)(D)(ii) of ERISA, a plan administrator or plan sponsor may charge a reasonable fee for any information provided under this section in other than electronic form.

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