Title 29, LaborRelease 119-102
§1133 Claims Procedure
Title 29 › CHAPTER 18 — EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › SUBCHAPTER I — PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RIGHTS › Subtitle B — Regulatory Provisions › part 5 — administration and enforcement › § 1133
Summary
Under rules from the Secretary, every employee benefit plan must give anyone whose claim is denied a written, easy-to-understand explanation of why and must let them have a reasonable, full and fair review by the plan’s named fiduciary.
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
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102