Title 29 — LaborRelease 119-73not60
§1131 Criminal Penalties
Title 29 › Chapter 18— EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › Subchapter I— PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RIGHTS › Subtitle Subtitle B— Regulatory Provisions › Part 5— administration and enforcement › § 1131
Summary
Anyone who on purpose breaks any rule or order under part 1 of the subtitle can be fined up to $100,000, put in jail for up to 10 years, or both. If the offender is a business or other organization instead of a person, the fine can be up to $500,000. Anyone who breaks section 1149 can be jailed up to 10 years, fined under Title 18, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 29, §1131
Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Any person who willfully violates any provision of part 1 of this subtitle, or any regulation or order issued under any such provision, shall upon conviction be fined not more than $100,000 or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both; except that in the case of such violation by a person not an individual, the fine imposed upon such person shall be a fine not exceeding $500,000.
(b)Any person that violates section 1149 of this title shall upon conviction be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined under title 18, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—Pub. L. 111–148 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b). 2002—Pub. L. 107–204 substituted “$100,000” for “$5,000”, “10 years” for “one year”, and “$500,000” for “$100,000”.
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. § 1131
Title 29 — Labor
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60