PUBLIC LAW 96-364—SEPT. 26, 1980
94 STAT. 1283
basic benefits, unless an alternative procedure is prescribed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation under section 4022A(g)(5) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. ^"^e, p. 1210. "(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, for a plan year— "(1) INSOLVENCY.—A multiemployer plan is insolvent if the plan's available resources are not sufficient to pay benefits under the plan when due for the plan year, or if the plan is determined to be insolvent under subsection (d). "(2) RESOURCE BENEFIT LEVEL.—The term 'resource benefit level' means the level of monthly benefits determined under subsections (c)(1) and (3) and (d)(3) to be the highest level which can be paid out of the plan's available resources. "(3) AVAILABLE RESOURCES.—The term 'available resources' means the plan's cash, marketable assets, contributions, withdrawal liability payments, and earnings, less reasonable administrative expenses and amounts owed for such plan year to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation under section 4261(b)(2) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Ante, p. I26i. "(4) INSOLVENCY YEAR.—The term 'insolvency year' means a plan year in which a plan is insolvent. "(c) BENEFIT PAYMENTS UNDER INSOL^.'^ENT PLANS.— "(1) DETERMINATION OF RESOURCE BENEFIT LEVEL,—The
plan sponsor of a plan in reorganization shall determine in writing the plan's resource benefit level for each insolvency year, based on the plan sponsor's reasonable projection of the plan's available resources and the benefits payable under the plan. "(2) UNIFORMITY OF THE BENEFIT SUSPENSION.—The suspension of benefit payments under this section shall, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, apply in substantially uniform proportions to the benefits of all persons in pay status (within the meaning of section 418(b)(6)) under the plan, except that the Secretary may prescribe rules under which benefit suspensions for different participant groups may be varied equitably to reflect variations in contribution rates and other relevant factors including differences in negotiated levels of financial support for plan benefit obligations. "(3) RESOURCE BENEFIT LEVEL BELOW LEVEL OF BASIC BENEFITS.—
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), if a plan sponsor determines in writing a resource benefit level for a plan year which is below the level of basic benefits, the payment of all benefits other than basic benefits shall be suspended for that plan year. "(4) EXCESS RESOURCES.—
"(A) IN GENERAL.—If, by the end of an insolvency year, the plan sponsor determines in writing that the plan's available resources in that insolvency year could have supported benefit payments above.the resource benefit level for that insolvency year, the plan sponsor shall distribute the excess resources to the participants and beneficiaries who received benefit payments from the plan in that insolvency year, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary. "(B) EXCESS RESOURCES.—For purposes of this paragraph, the term 'excess resources' means available resources above the amount necessary to support the resource benefit level, but no greater than the amount necessary to pay benefits for the plan year at the benefit levels under the plan. "(5) UNPAID BENEFITS.—If, by the end of an insolvency year, any benefit has not been paid at the resource benefit level, amounts up to the resource benefit level which were unpaid shall
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