Title 29—Labor--Volume 1
PART 4208—REDUCTION OR WAIVER OF PARTIAL WITHDRAWAL LIABILITY
§ 4208.1   Purpose and scope.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this part is to establish rules for reducing or waiving the liability of certain employers that have partially withdrawn from a multiemployer pension plan.
(b) Scope. This part applies to multiemployer pension plans covered under title IV of ERISA and to employers that have partially withdrawn from such plans after September 25, 1980, and that have not, as of the date on which they satisfy the conditions for reducing or eliminating their partial withdrawal liability, fully satisfied their obligation to pay that partial withdrawal liability. This rule shall not negate reasonable actions taken by plans prior to the effective date of this part under plan rules implementing section 4208 of ERISA that were validly adopted pursuant to section 405 of the Multiemployer Act.
§ 4208.2   Definitions.
The following terms are defined in § 4001.2 of this chapter: employer, ERISA, IRS, Multiemployer Act, multiemployer plan, PBGC, plan, and plan year.
In addition, for purposes of this part:
Complete withdrawal means a complete withdrawal as described in section 4203 of ERISA.
Eligible employer means the employer, as defined in section 4001(b) of ERISA, as it existed on the date of its initial partial or complete withdrawal, as applicable. An eligible employer shall continue to be an eligible employer notwithstanding the occurrence of any of the following events:
(1) A restoration involving a mere change in identity, form or place of organization, however effected;
(2) A reorganization involving a liquidation into a parent corporation;
(3) A merger, consolidation or division solely between (or among) trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) of the employer; or
(4) An acquisition by or of, or a merger or combination with another trade or business.
Partial withdrawal means a partial withdrawal as described in section 4205 of ERISA.
Partial withdrawal year means the third year of the 3-year testing period in the case of a partial withdrawal caused by a 70-percent contribution decline, or the year of the partial cessation in the case of a partial withdrawal caused by a partial cessation of the employer's contribution obligation.
§ 4208.3   Abatement.
(a) General. Whenever an eligible employer that has partially withdrawn from a multiemployer plan satisfies the requirements in § 4208.4 for the reduction or waiver of its partial withdrawal liability, it may apply to the plan for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability. Applications shall identify the eligible employer, the withdrawn employer (if different), the date of withdrawal, and the basis for reduction or waiver of its withdrawal liability. Upon receiving a complete application for abatement, the plan sponsor shall determine, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, whether the employer satisfies the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability under § 4208.4. If the plan sponsor determines that the employer satisfies the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability, the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section shall apply. If the plan sponsor determines that the employer does not satisfy the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability, the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section shall apply.
(b) Determination of abatement. Within 60 days after an eligible employer that partially withdrew from a multiemployer plan applies for abatement in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, the plan sponsor shall determine whether the employer satisfies the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability under § 4208.4 and shall notify the employer in writing of its determination and of the consequences of its determination, as described in paragraphs (c) or (d) and (e) of this section, as appropriate. If a bond or escrow has been provided to the plan under § 4208.5 of this part, the plan sponsor shall send a copy of the notice to the bonding or escrow agent.
(c) Effects of abatement. If the plan sponsor determines that the employer satisfies the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability under § 4208.4, then—
(1) The employer's partial withdrawal liability shall be eliminated or its annual partial withdrawal liability payments shall be reduced in accordance with § 4208.6, as applicable;
(2) The employer's liability for a subsequent withdrawal shall be determined in accordance with § 4208.7;
(3) Any bonds furnished under § 4208.5 shall be canceled and any amounts held in escrow under § 4208.5 shall be refunded to the employer; and
(4) Any withdrawal liability payments originally due and paid after the end of the plan year in which the conditions for abatement were satisfied, in excess of the amount due under this part after that date shall be credited to the remaining withdrawal liability payments, if any, owed by the employer, beginning with the first payment due after the revised payment schedule is issued pursuant to this paragraph. If the credited amount is greater than the outstanding amount of the employer's partial withdrawal liability, the amount remaining after satisfaction of the liability shall be refunded to the employer. Interest on the credited amount at the rate prescribed in part 4219, subpart C, of this chapter (relating to overdue, defaulted, and overpaid withdrawal liability) shall be added if the plan sponsor does not issue a revised payment schedule reflecting the credit or make the required refund within 60 days after receipt by the plan sponsor of a complete abatement application. Interest shall accrue from the 61st day.
(d) Effects of non-abatement. If the plan sponsor determines that the employer does not satisfy the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability under § 4208.4, then the employer shall take or cause to be taken the actions set forth in paragraphs (d)(1)-(d)(3) of this section. The rules in part 4219, subpart C, shall apply with respect to all payments required to be made under paragraphs (d)(2) and (d)(3). For this purpose, a payment required under paragraph (d)(2) shall be treated as a withdrawal liability payment due on the 30th day after the date of the plan sponsor's notice under paragraph (b) of this section.
(1) Any bond or escrow furnished under § 4208.5 shall be paid to the plan within 30 days after the date of the plan sponsor's notice under paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) The employer shall pay to the plan within 30 days after the date of the plan sponsor's notice under paragraph (b) of this section, the amount of its withdrawal liability payment or payments, with respect to which the bond or escrow was furnished, in excess of the bond or escrow.
(3) The employer shall resume or continue making its partial withdrawal liability payments as they are due to the plan.
(e) Review of non-abatement determination. A plan sponsor's determinations that the employer does not satisfy the requirements for abatement under § 4208.4 and of the amount of reduction determined under § 4208.6 shall be subject to plan review under section 4219(b)(2) of ERISA and to arbitration under section 4221 of ERISA and part 4221 of this chapter, within the times prescribed by those provisions. For this purpose, the plan sponsor's notice under paragraph (b) of this section shall be treated as a demand under section 4219(b)(1) of ERISA. If the plan sponsor upon review or an arbitrator determines that the employer satisfies the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability under § 4208.4, the plan sponsor shall immediately refund the amounts described in paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the liability is waived, or credit and refund the amounts described in paragraph (e)(2) if the annual payment is reduced.
(1) Refund for waived liability. If the employer's partial withdrawal liability is waived, the plan sponsor shall refund to the employer the payments made pursuant to paragraphs (d)(1)-(d)(3) of this section (plus interest determined in accordance with § 4219.31(d) of this chapter as if the payments were overpayments of withdrawal liability).
(2) Credit for reduced annual payment. If the employer's annual partial withdrawal liability payment is reduced, the plan sponsor shall credit the payments made pursuant to paragraphs (d)(1)-(d)(3) of this section (plus interest determined in accordance with § 4219.31(d) of this chapter as if the payments were overpayments of withdrawal liability) to future withdrawal liability payments owed by the employer, beginning with the first payment that is due after the determination, and refund any credit (including interest) remaining after satisfaction of the outstanding amount of the employer's partial withdrawal liability.
§ 4208.4   Conditions for abatement.
(a) Waiver of liability for a 70-percent contribution decline. An employer that has incurred a partial withdrawal under section 4205(a)(1) of ERISA shall have no obligation to make payments with respect to that partial withdrawal (other than delinquent payments) for plan years beginning after the second consecutive plan year in which the conditions of either paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) are satisfied for each of the two years:
(1) The number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer has an obligation to contribute under the plan for each year is not less than 90 percent of the total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute to the plan for the high base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section).
(2) The conditions of this paragraph are satisfied if—
(i) The number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer has an obligation to contribute for each year exceeds 30 percent of the total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute to the plan for the high base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section); and
(ii) The total number of contribution base units with respect to which all employers under the plan have obligations to contribute in each of the two years is not less than 90 percent of the total number of contribution base units for which all employers had obligations to contribute in the partial withdrawal year.
(b) Waiver of liability for a partial cessation of the employer's contribution obligation. Except as provided in § 4208.8, an employer that has incurred partial withdrawal liability under section 4205(a)(2) of ERISA shall have no obligation to make payments with respect to that partial withdrawal (other than delinquent payments) for plan years beginning after the second consecutive plan year in which the employer satisfies the conditions under either paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section.
(1) Partial restoration of withdrawn work. The employer satisfies the conditions under this paragraph if, for each of two consecutive plan years—
(i) The employer makes contributions for the same facility or under the same collective bargaining agreement that gave rise to the partial withdrawal;
(ii) The employer's contribution base units for that facility or under that agreement exceed 30 percent of the contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute for that facility or under that agreement for the high base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section); and
(iii) The total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer has an obligation to contribute to the plan equals at least 90 percent of the total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute under the plan for the high base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section).
(2) Substantial restoration of withdrawn work. The employer satisfies the conditions under this paragraph if, for each of two consecutive plan years—
(i) The employer makes contributions for the same facility or under the same collective bargaining agreement that gave rise to the partial withdrawal;
(ii) The employer's contribution base units for that facility or under that agreement are not less than 90 percent of the contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute for that facility or under that agreement for the high base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section); and
(iii) The total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer has an obligation to contribute to the plan equals or exceeds the sum of—
(A) The number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute in the year prior to the partial withdrawal year, determined without regard to the contribution base units for the facility or under the agreement that gave rise to the partial withdrawal; and
(B) 90 percent of the contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute for that facility or under that agreement in either the year prior to the partial withdrawal year or the high base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section), whichever is less.
(c) Reduction in annual partial withdrawal liability payment —(1) Partial withdrawals under section 4205(a)(1). An employer shall be entitled to a reduction of its annual partial withdrawal liability payment for a plan year if the number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute during the plan year exceeds the greater of—
(i) 110 percent (or such lower number as the plan may, by amendment, adopt) of the number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute in the partial withdrawal year; or
(ii) The total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute to the plan for the plan year following the partial withdrawal year.
(2) Partial withdrawals under section 4205(a)(2). An employer that resumes the obligation to contribute with respect to a facility or collective bargaining agreement that gave rise to a partial withdrawal, but does not qualify to have that liability waived under paragraph (b) of this section, shall have its annual partial withdrawal liability payment reduced for any plan year in which the total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer has an obligation to contribute equals or exceeds the sum of—
(i) The number of contribution base units for the reentered facility or agreement during that year; and
(ii) The total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute to the plan for the year following the partial withdrawal year.
(d) High base year. For purposes of paragraphs (a) and (b)(1)(iii) of this section, the high base year contributions are the average of the total contribution base units for the two plan years for which the employer's total contribution base units were highest within the five plan years immediately preceding the beginning of the 3-year testing period defined in section 4205(b)(1)(B)(i) of ERISA, with respect to paragraph (a) of this section, or the partial withdrawal year, with respect to paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section. For purposes of paragraphs (b)(1)(ii) and (b)(2) of this section, the high base year contributions are the average number of contribution base units for the facility or under the agreement for the two plan years for which the employer's contribution base units for that facility or under that agreement were highest within the five plan years immediately preceding the partial withdrawal.
§ 4208.5   Withdrawal liability payments during pendency of abatement determination.
(a) Bond/Escrow. An employer that has satisfied the requirements of § 4208.4(a)(1) without regard to “90 percent of” or § 4208.4(b) for one year with respect to all partial withdrawals it incurred in a plan year may, in lieu of making scheduled withdrawal liability payments in the second year for those withdrawals, provide a bond to, or establish an escrow account for, the plan that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section or any plan rules adopted under paragraph (d) of this section, pending a determination by the plan sponsor of whether the employer satisfies the requirements of § 4208.4 (a)(1) or (b) for the second consecutive plan year. An employer that applies for abatement and neither provides a bond/escrow nor makes its withdrawal liability payments remains eligible for abatement.
(b) Amount of bond/escrow. The bond or escrow allowed by this section shall be in an amount equal to 50 percent of the withdrawal liability payments that would otherwise be due. The bond or escrow relating to each payment shall be furnished before the due date of that payment. A single bond or escrow may be provided for more than one payment due during the pendency of the plan sponsor's determination. The bond or escrow agreement shall provide that if the plan sponsor determines that the employer does not satisfy the requirements for abatement of its partial withdrawal liability under § 4208.4 (a)(1) or (b), the bond or escrow shall be paid to the plan upon notice from the plan sponsor to the bonding or escrow agent. A bond provided under this paragraph shall be issued by a corporate surety company that is an acceptable surety for purposes of section 412 of ERISA.
(c) Notice of bond/escrow. Concurrently with posting a bond or establishing an escrow account under this section, the employer shall notify the plan sponsor. The notice shall include a statement of the amount of the bond or escrow, the scheduled payment or payments with respect to which the bond or escrow is being furnished, and the name and address of the bonding or escrow agent.
(d) Plan amendments concerning bond/escrow. A plan may, by amendment, adopt rules decreasing the amount of the bond or escrow specified in paragraph (b) of this section. A plan amendment adopted under this paragraph may be applied only to the extent that it is consistent with the purposes of ERISA. An amendment satisfies this requirement only if it does not create an unreasonable risk of loss to the plan.
(e) Plan sponsor determination. Within 60 days after the end of the plan year in which the bond/escrow is furnished, the plan sponsor shall determine whether the employer satisfied the requirements of § 4208.4 (a)(1) or (b) for the second consecutive plan year. The plan sponsor shall notify the employer and the bonding or escrow agent in writing of its determination and of the consequences of its determination, as described in § 4208.3 (c) or (d) and (e), as appropriate.
§ 4208.6   Computation of reduced annual partial withdrawal liability payment.
(a) Amount of reduced payment. An employer that satisfies the requirements of § 4208.4 (c)(1) or (c)(2) shall have its annual partial withdrawal liability payment for that plan year reduced in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section, respectively.
(1) The reduced annual payment amount for an employer that satisfies § 4208.4(c)(1) shall be determined by substituting the number of contribution base units in the plan year in which the requirements are satisfied for the number of contribution base units in the year following the partial withdrawal year in the numerator of the fraction described in section 4206(a)(2)(A) of ERISA.
(2) The reduced annual payment for an employer that satisfies § 4208.4(c)(2) shall be determined by adding the contribution base units for which the employer is obligated to contribute with respect to the reentered facility or agreement in the year in which the requirements are satisfied to the numerator of the fraction described in section 4206(a)(2)(A) of ERISA.
(b) Credit for reduction. The plan sponsor shall credit the account of an employer that satisfies the requirements of § 4208.4(c)(1) or (c)(2) with the amount of annual withdrawal liability that it paid in excess of the amount described in paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section, as appropriate. The credit shall be applied, a revised payment schedule issued, refund made and interest added, all in accordance with § 4208.3(c)(4).
§ 4208.7   Adjustment of withdrawal liability for subsequent withdrawals.
The liability of an employer for a partial or complete withdrawal from a plan subsequent to a partial withdrawal from that plan in a prior plan year shall be reduced in accordance with part 4206 of this chapter.
§ 4208.8   Multiple partial withdrawals in one plan year.
(a) General rule. If an employer partially withdraws from the same multiemployer plan on two or more occasions during the same plan year, the rules of § 4208.4 shall be applied as modified by this section.
(b) Partial withdrawals under section 4205 (a)(1) and (a)(2) in the same plan year. If an employer partially withdraws from the same multiemployer plan as a result of a 70-percent contribution decline and a partial cessation of the employer's contribution obligation in the same plan year, the employer shall not be eligible for abatement under § 4208.4 (b) or (c)(2) or under paragraph (c) of this section. The employer may qualify for abatement under § 4208.4(a) and (c)(1) and under any rules adopted by the plan pursuant to § 4208.9.
(c) Multiple partial cessations of the employer's contribution obligation. If an employer permanently ceases to have an obligation to contribute for more than one facility, under more than one collective bargaining agreement, or for one or more facilities and under one or more collective bargaining agreements, resulting in multiple partial withdrawals under section 4205(b)(2)(A) in the same plan year, the abatement rules in § 4208.4(b) shall be applied as modified by this paragraph. If an employer resumes work at all such facilities and under all such collective bargaining agreements, the determination of whether the employer qualifies for elimination of its liability under § 4208.4(b) shall be made by substituting the test set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of this section for that prescribed by § 4208.4 (b)(1)(ii) or (b)(2)(ii), as applicable. If the employer resumes work at or under fewer than all the facilities or collective bargaining agreements described in this paragraph, the employer cannot qualify for elimination of its liability under § 4208.4(b). However, the employer may qualify for a reduction in its partial withdrawal liability pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(1) Resumption of work at all facilities and under all bargaining agreements. The test under this paragraph is satisfied if for each of the two consecutive plan years referred to in § 4208.4(b), the employer's total contribution base units for the facilities and under the collective bargaining agreements with respect to which the employer incurred the multiple partial withdrawals exceed 30 percent of the total number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute for those facilities and under those agreements for the base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section).
(2) Resumption at fewer than all facilities or under fewer than all bargaining agreements. If the employer satisfies the conditions in § 4208.4 (b)(1)(i) and (b)(1)(iii) and paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, or the conditions in § 4208.4 (b)(2)(i) and (b)(2)(iii) and paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section, as applicable, the employer's withdrawal liability shall be partially waived as set forth in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section.
(i) With respect to a resumption of work under § 4208.4(b)(1), the condition under this paragraph is satisfied if, for the two consecutive plan years referred to in § 4208.4(b)(1), the employer's contribution base units for any reentered facility or agreement exceed 30 percent of the number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute for that facility or under that agreement for the base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section).
(ii) With respect to a resumption of work under § 4208.4(b)(2), the condition under this paragraph is satisfied if, for the two consecutive plan years referred to in § 4208.4(b)(2), the employer's contribution base units for any reentered facility or agreement exceed 90 percent of the number of contribution base units with respect to which the employer had an obligation to contribute for that facility or under that agreement for the base year (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section).
(iii) The employer's reduced withdrawal liability and, if any, the reduced annual payments of the liability shall be determined by adding the average number of contribution base units that the employer is required to contribute for those two consecutive years for that facility(ies) or agreement(s) to the numerator of the fraction described in section 4206(a)(2)(A) of ERISA. The amount of any remaining partial withdrawal liability shall be paid over the schedule originally established starting with the first payment due after the revised payment schedule is issued under § 4208.3(c)(4).
(d) Base year. For purposes of this section, the base year contribution base units for a reentered facility(ies) or under a reentered agreement(s) are the average number of contribution base units for the facility(ies) or under the agreement(s) for the two plan years for which the employer's contribution base units for that facility(ies) or under that agreement(s) were highest within the five plan years immediately preceding the partial withdrawal.
§ 4208.9   Plan adoption of additional abatement conditions.
(a) General rule. A plan may by amendment, subject to the approval of the PBGC, adopt rules for the reduction or waiver of partial withdrawal liability under conditions other than those specified in § 4208.4, provided that such conditions relate to events occurring or factors existing subsequent to a partial withdrawal year. The request for PBGC approval shall be filed after the amendment is adopted. PBGC approval shall also be required for any subsequent modification of the amendment, other than repeal of the amendment. A plan amendment under this section may not be put into effect until it is approved by the PBGC. An amendment that is approved by the PBGC may apply retroactively.
(b) Who may request. The plan sponsor, or a duly authorized representative acting on behalf of the plan sponsor, shall sign and submit the request.
(c) Where to file. See § 4000.4 of this chapter for information on where to file.
(d) Information. Each request shall contain the following information:
(1) The name and address of the plan for which the plan amendment is being submitted and the telephone number of the plan sponsor or its duly authorized representative.
(2) The nine-digit Employer Identification Number (EIN) assigned to the plan sponsor by the IRS and the three-digit Plan Identification Number (PIN) assigned to the plan by the plan sponsor, and, if different, also the EIN-PIN last filed with the PBGC. If an EIN-PIN has not been assigned, that should be indicated.
(3) A copy of the executed amendment, including—
(i) The date on which the amendment was adopted;
(ii) The proposed effective date;
(iii) The full text of the rules on the reduction or waiver of partial withdrawal liability; and
(iv) The full text of the rules adjusting the reduction in the employer's liability for a subsequent partial or complete withdrawal, as required by section 4206(b)(1) of ERISA.
(4) A copy of the most recent actuarial valuation report of the plan.
(5) A statement certifying that notice of the adoption of the amendment and of the request for approval filed under this section has been given to all employers that have an obligation to contribute under the plan and to all employee organizations representing employees covered under the plan.
(e) Supplemental information. In addition to the information described in paragraph (d) of this section, a plan may submit any other information that it believes is pertinent to its request. The PBGC may require the plan sponsor to submit any other information that the PBGC determines that it needs to review a request under this section.
(f) Criteria for PBGC approval. The PBGC shall approve a plan amendment authorized by paragraph (a) of this section if it determines that the rules therein are consistent with the purposes of ERISA. An abatement amendment is not consistent with the purposes of ERISA unless the PBGC determines that—
(1) The amendment is not adverse to the interests of plan participants and beneficiaries in the aggregate; and
(2) The amendment would not significantly increase the PBGC's risk of loss with respect to the plan.
§ 4208.10   Method of filing; method and date of issuance.
(a) Method of filing. The PBGC applies the rules in subpart A of part 4000 of this chapter to determine permissible methods of filing with the PBGC under this part.
(b) Method of issuance. The PBGC applies the rules in subpart B of part 4000 of this chapter to determine permissible methods of issuance under this part.
(c) Date of issuance. The PBGC applies the rules in subpart C of part 4000 of this chapter to determine the date that an issuance under this part was provided.