Title 29 — LaborRelease 119-73
§1133 Claims procedure
Title 29 › Chapter CHAPTER 18— - EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RIGHTS › Subtitle Subtitle B— - Regulatory Provisions › Part part 5— - administration and enforcement › § 1133
Summary
Employee benefit plans must give written, easy-to-understand reasons when they deny a claim and must let the person have a full, fair review by the named plan official.
Full Legal Text
Title 29, §1133
Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
In accordance with regulations of the Secretary, every employee benefit plan shall—
(1)provide adequate notice in writing to any participant or beneficiary whose claim for benefits under the plan has been denied, setting forth the specific reasons for such denial, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the participant, and
(2)afford a reasonable opportunity to any participant whose claim for benefits has been denied for a full and fair review by the appropriate named fiduciary of the decision denying the claim.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Regulations
Secretary authorized, effective Sept. 2, 1974, to promulgate
Regulations
wherever provisions of this subchapter call for the promulgation of
Regulations
, see section 1031 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
29 U.S.C. § 1133
Title 29 — Labor
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73