On June 30, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced two interim final rulesthat increase civil penalties for various violations as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.
The Act requires agencies to: 1) adjust the level of civil monetary penalties with an initial “catch-up” adjustment; and (2) make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation. According to the DOL, future adjustments will be made by January 15 of each year, starting in 2017. Here are some highlights of the changes:
The Act requires agencies to: 1) adjust the level of civil monetary penalties with an initial “catch-up” adjustment; and (2) make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation. According to the DOL, future adjustments will be made by January 15 of each year, starting in 2017. Here are some highlights of the changes:
*Form 5500. The maximum penalty for failing to file Form 5500, which must be filed by most Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) plans, will increase from $1,100 to $2,063 per day that the Form 5500 is late.
*Group Health Plans. The maximum penalty for failing to provide the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) required under health care reform will increase from $1,000 to $1,087 per failure. Violations of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), such as establishing eligibility rules based on genetic information or requesting genetic information for underwriting purposes, may result in penalties of $110 per participant per day, up from $100. Maximum penalties relating to disclosures regarding the availability of Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Plan assistance, including failure to disclose to a state, on request, relevant information about the employer’s plan, will also increase from $100 to $110 per day.
*401(k) Plans. For plans with automatic contribution arrangements, penalties for failure to provide the 
required ERISA § 514(e) preemption notice to participants will increase from $1,000 to $1,632 per day. Penalties for failing to provide blackout notices (required in advance of certain periods during which participants may not change their investments or take loans or distributions) or notices of diversification rights will increase from $100 to $131 per day. And the maximum penalty for failure to comply with the ERISA § 209(b) recordkeeping and reporting requirements will increase from $11 to $28 per employee.
*Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs). Penalties for failure to meet applicable filing requirements, which include annual Form M-1 filings and filings upon origination, will increase from $1,100 to $1,502 per day.
Other penalties increased by the regulations include those for failure to provide certain information requested by the DOL, failures not corrected within specified time periods, and defined benefit plan compliance failures. The increases apply to penalties assessed after August 1, 2016, with respect to violations occurring after November 2, 2015.
Penalty assessments made before August 1, 2016, (including those relating to violations after November 2, 2015) and assessments at any time relating to violations on or before November 2, 2015, will reflect the lower pre-adjustment amounts.
You can read the DOL FAQ here.
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