Plan Documents 

ERISA includes reporting and disclosure requirements designed to protect the employee's rights to benefits. The plan document is summarized by a disclosure document called a Summary Plan Description that is given to the plan participants. The purpose of a Summary Plan Description is to advise plan participants in ordinary language of their rights under the plan.

Severe technical noncompliance with ERISA requirements without harm does not entitle the participants to relief. Mere error in the Summary Plan Description does not give rise to liability. However, the misstatements in the Summary Plan Description may control over conflicting language within the plan document itself thereby making benefits available