What is ERISA

ERISA is a federal law administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that sets minimum standards for private-sector retirement and health benefit plans. It governs how plan-related documents must be created, stored, and made accessible to plan participants, beneficiaries, auditors, and regulatory agencies.

What Is ERISA and Why It Matters for Document Scanning

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law overseen by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that establishes minimum standards for private-sector retirement and health benefit plans. It regulates how plan-related documents must be created, preserved, and made accessible to participants, beneficiaries, auditors, and regulators. Under ERISA and corresponding DOL regulations (such as 29 CFR § 2520.104b-1), plan sponsors must retain accurate, retrievable records—including Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs), Form 5500 filings, plan amendments, enrollment elections, and fee disclosure notices—typically for six years or more. Failure to maintain or furnish these records during an audit or participant request can lead to civil penalties, plan disqualification, or fiduciary breach claims. For HR teams, legal counsel, and third-party administrators (TPAs), ensuring that benefit records are digitized in a way that meets ERISA document retention and access requirements is essential to reducing regulatory exposure and streamlining plan oversight.

How TierFive Delivers DOL ERISA-Compliant Scanning

TierFive maintains both HIPAA and SOC2 certifications in addition to ISO 27001  Our staff is PBSA and E-Verify federally background verified to also best comply with other frameworks such as FADGI, GDPR, FERPA, and DOL ERISA under which many our healthcare, finance, legal, government, education, and insurance clients often face strict regulatory and operational requirements for handling scanned records. TierFive’s document scanning workflows are designed with ERISA and DOL compliance in mind. We help fiduciaries and benefits professionals convert large volumes of sensitive paper records into searchable, secure, and audit-ready digital files—with built-in safeguards that align with retirement plan governance best practices.

Our compliance measures include:

• Secure digitization of participant and plan records using high-resolution, non-editable formats (TIFF/PDF-A)

• Detailed indexing by participant name, plan year, and document type

• Role-based access control and encryption to protect personally identifiable information (PII) and financial data

• Chain-of-custody documentation and long-term archival storage options to support retention policies

• Quick retrieval capabilities to enable fast responses to DOL audits or participant requests

With TierFive, your scanned benefits records don’t just meet technical standards—they help you uphold your fiduciary duty.

Why ERISA Compliance Matters to HR, Finance, and Legal Teams

For companies that manage retirement plans or other qualified benefits programs, poor recordkeeping can trigger DOL investigations, fiduciary breach claims, and expensive remediation efforts. Paper files stored offsite, inconsistently labeled, or lost over time create compliance vulnerabilities and operational inefficiencies. By working with TierFive, organizations can modernize how they manage plan records—making them easier to retrieve, audit, and distribute—all while staying compliant with ERISA disclosure, record retention, and participant access rules. Whether you manage 401(k), pension, or health reimbursement plans, or are a Taft Hartley we provide secure scanning services you can trust to meet your legal obligations.

Key Benefits of TierFive’s ERISA-Compliant Document Scanning

With TierFive, your benefits records are digitized and protected in accordance with DOL expectations—reducing risk, saving time, and strengthening your plan administration posture. We ensure scanned files are accurate, secure, and easy to retrieve, so you’re always ready for an audit, plan amendment, or participant inquiry.

Contact TierFive today to learn more about how our ERISA compliance document imaging process. we can help your organization reduce overhead costs securely and accurately digitize highly sensitive member financial records with the peace of mind knowing that you have the right partner with the right team.