Enter to open, tab to navigate, enter to select
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Practical Law Glossary Item w-021-2406 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
The agency within the Department of Labor (DOL) that is responsible for administering, interpreting, and enforcing health and retirement plan requirements under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) (see Practice Note, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA): Overview). EBSA may audit employee benefit plans to assess their compliance with fiduciary, reporting, and disclosure requirements (among others) under ERISA and its implementing regulations.
EBSA's activities include:
- Providing information, including plan-related publications, to participants and beneficiaries.
- Helping plan sponsors and service providers comply with their obligations under ERISA.
- Making available copies of certain plan documents upon request.
- Issuing advisory opinions that interpret and apply ERISA.
- Investigating complaints by participants, beneficiaries, and plan fiduciaries alleging ERISA violations (see Practice Note, Guide to Dealing with Department of Labor Investigations of Retirement Plans).
In addition, most benefit plans must file the Form 5500 annual report with EBSA.
For more information on EBSA, see EBSA's website.