Title 29, LaborRelease 119-110
§1392 Obligation to Contribute
Title 29 › CHAPTER 18 — EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › SUBCHAPTER III — PLAN TERMINATION INSURANCE › Subtitle E — Special Provisions for Multiemployer Plans › part 1 — employer withdrawals › § 1392
Summary
Only payments required by collective bargaining or labor‑management law count as an "obligation to contribute"; that does not include withdrawal liability or delinquent contributions. Payments of withdrawal liability are not contributions. Transactions meant mainly to avoid liability are ignored.
Full Legal Text
Title 29, §1392
Labor, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)“Obligation to contribute” defined
For purposes of this part, the term “obligation to contribute” means an obligation to contribute arising—
(1)under one or more collective bargaining (or related) agreements, or
(2)as a result of a duty under applicable labor-management relations law, but
does not include an obligation to pay withdrawal liability under this section or to pay delinquent contributions.
(b)Payments of withdrawal liability not considered contributions
Payments of withdrawal liability under this part shall not be considered contributions for purposes of this part.
(c)Transactions to evade or avoid liability
If a principal purpose of any transaction is to evade or avoid liability under this part, this part shall be applied (and liability shall be determined and collected) without regard to such transaction.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
29 U.S.C. § 1392
Title 29, Labor
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110