The US Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced deadline relief
for employee benefit plan notices, disclosures and document deadlines
that must be furnished between March 1, 2020 and 60 days after the
announced end of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) National
Emergency (“Outbreak Period”), if the employee benefit plan and
responsible fiduciary act in good faith and furnish the notice, disclosure,
or document as soon as administratively practicable under the
circumstances. In addition, the guidance sets forth a guiding principle
for plan fiduciaries: plans “should make reasonable accommodations
to prevent the loss of benefits or undue delay in benefit payments and
should attempt to minimize the possibility of losing benefits because of
a failure to comply with pre-established timeframes.”
