Employee Benefits

The Department of Labor made final a rule ( www.dol.gov/pwba/regs/fedreg/final/2002008499.htm ) giving employee benefit plan administrators the option of using e-mail, the Internet and other computer-based systems for making, to participants and beneficiaries, disclosures required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Under the provision, which takes effect on the initial day of a plan’s first year beginning on or after October 9, plan participants and employees must give their consent to electronic delivery and be able to obtain paper versions of the documents on request.