§ 1.414(r)-5. Qualified separate line of business—administrative scrutiny requirement—safe harbors.

(i) Employer A operates three separate lines of business as determined under § 1.414(r)-3, that respectively consist of a railroad, an insurance company, and a newspaper. Employer A employs a total of 400 employees, 100 of whom are highly compensated employees. Thus, the percentage of all employees of Employer A who are highly compensated employees in 25 percent. After applying § 1.414(r)-7, the distribution of highly and nonhighly compensated employees among Employer A's separate lines of business is as follows:

(ii) Because the highly compensated employee percentage ratio of each separate line of business is at least 50 percent and no more than 200 percent, each of Employer A's separate lines of business satisfies the requirements of the safe harbor in this paragraph (b).

(i) Employer B operates three separate lines of business as determined under § 1.414(r)-3, that respectively consist of a dairy products manufacturer, a candy manufacturer, and a chain of housewares stores. Employer B employs a total of 1,000 employees, 100 of whom are highly compensated employees. Thus, the percentage of all employees of Employer B who are highly compensated employees is 10 percent. After applying § 1.414(r)-7, the distribution of highly and nonhighly compensated employees among Employer B's separate lines of business is as follows:

(ii) Because the highly compensated employee percentage ratio for the dairy products line of business is less than 50 percent, it does not satisfy the requirements of the statutory safe harbor in this paragraph (b). However, because Employer B's other two separate lines of business (candy manufacturing and housewares stores) each has a highly compensated employee percentage ratio that is no less than 50 percent and no greater than 200 percent, they each satisfy the statutory safe harbor in this paragraph (b).

(i) The facts are the same as in Example 2, except that Employer B operates only two separate lines of business as determined under § 1.414(r)-3, one consisting of the dairy products manufacturer and the candy manufacturer, and the other consisting of the chain of housewares stores. After applying § 1.414(r)-7, the distribution of highly and nonhighly compensated employees among Employer B's separate lines of business is as follows:

(ii) Because the highly compensated employee percentage ratio for both of Employer B's separate lines of business is at least 50 percent and no more than 200 percent, they each satisfy the requirements of the statutory safe harbor in this paragraph (b).

Among its other business activities, Employer C operates a commercial airline that constitutes a separate line of business under § 1.414(r)-3. In addition, no other separate line of business of Employer C provides to customers of Employer C any property or services in the transportation equipment and services industry category. Under these facts, the separate line of business described in this example satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (c).

The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that Employer C also operates a trucking company that constitutes another separate line of business of Employer C under § 1.414(r)-3. Because the commercial airline and the trucking company both provide to customers of Employer C services in the transportation equipment and services industry category, neither separate line of business satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (c).

Among its other business activities, Employer D operates a commercial bank and luxury hotel that together constitute a single separate line of business under § 1.414(r)-3. No other separate line of business of employer D provides to customers of Employer D property or services in either the banking, insurance, or financial industry category, or the entertainment, sports, or hotel industry category. Under these facts, the separate line of business described in this example satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (c).

The facts are the same as in Example 3, except that Employer D also manufactures computers in the United States and abroad. Employer D apportions its computer operations by designating these operations between two separate lines of business, one consisting of its domestic operations located in the United States and the second consisting of its foreign operations by a foreign subsidiary. Because both lines of business provide property and services in the machinery and electronics industry category to customers of Employer D, neither separate line of business would satisfy the safe harbor in this paragraph (c). However, pursuant to the optional rule in paragraph (c)(2) of his section, Employer D disregards the property and services provided by its foreign computer subsidiary. As a result, no other separate line of business of Employer D provides to customers of Employer D any property or services in the machinery and electronics industry category. Under these facts, Employer D's domestic computer operations separate line of business satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (c).

Employer E is treated as operating three qualified separate lines of business pursuant to § 1.414(r)-1(b). In 1996, Employer E acquires a company that employs 4,000 employees who manufacture and sell pharmaceutical supplies, and designates that portion as a line of business under § 1.414(r)-2. Under § 1.414(r)-1(d)(4), the pharmaceutical supplies line of business is deemed to satisfy the requirements to be a qualified separate line of business (other than the 50-employee and notice requirements) for testing year 1996. In addition, the determination of whether Employer E's remaining three lines of business constitute qualified separate lines of business for testing year 1996 is made without taking into account the acquired employees and by disregarding the property and services provided to customers of Employer E by the pharmaceutical supplies line of business.

The facts are the same as in Example 1 except that, by the first testing day in 1997 (Transition Year 1), there are 300 additional substantial-service employees with respect to the pharmaceutical supplies line of business, increasing the total number to 4,300. Of those 300 employees, 250 were substantial-service employees with respect to a different separate line of business for testing year 1996 and 50 are new hires. Assume that, on the first testing day in Transition Year 1, the pharmaceutical supplies line of business satisfies the requirements of § 1.414(r)-3 (taking into account § 1.414(r)-1(d)(4)) and therefore constitutes a separate line of business. Because 250 is 6 percent of 4,300, no more than ten percent of the employees who are substantial-service employees with respect to the pharmaceutical supplies line of business were substantial- service employees with respect to a different separate line of business for the immediately preceding testing year. The 50 newly hired employees are disregarded in making this determination. Under these facts, the pharmaceutical supplies separate line of business satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (d) for Transition Year 1.

The facts are the same as in Example 2, except that, before the first day of the next testing year (“Transition Year 2”), Employer E permanently transfers 200 of the 4,300 employees who were substantial-service employees with respect to the pharmaceutical line of business on the first testing day in Transition Year 1 to a different line of business and does not hire any additional employees for the pharmaceutical supplies line of business. Therefore, by the first testing day in Transition Year 2, the number of employees who are substantial-service employees with respect to the pharmaceutical line of business of Employer E has decreased from 4,300 to 4,100. Assume that, on that first testing day in Transition Year 2, the pharmaceutical supplies line of business constitutes a separate line of business within the meaning of § 1.414(r)-3. Because 200 is approximately 5 percent of 4,300, no more than 10 percent of the employees who were substantial-service employees of the pharmaceutical line of business for Transition Year 1 are not substantial-service employees of the pharmaceutical line of business in Transition Year 2. Under these facts, the pharmaceutical supplies separate line of business continues to satisfy the safe harbor in this paragraph (d) for Transition Year 2.

Among its other business activities, Employer F operates a bearing manufacturing firm that constitutes a separate line of business under § 1.414(r)-3. Employer F is required to file an annual Form 10-K with the SEC. On its timely filed Form 10-K, Employer F reports its bearing manufacturing operations as an industry segment in accordance of FAS 14 (as determined under paragraphs 10(a), 11(b), and 12 through 14 of FAS 14). The group of bearing products provided by the separate line of business (as designated by Employer F under § 1.414(r)-2) is identical to the group of bearing products provided by the industry segment (as determined under paragraphs 10(a), 11(b), and 12 through 14 of FAS 14). Under these facts, the separate line of business described in this example satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (e).

The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that Employer F has apportioned its bearing manufacturing operations between two separate lines of business as determined under § 1.414(r)-3, one engaged in the manufacture of bearings for use in the automotive industry, and a second engaged in the manufacture of bearings for use in the aerospace industry. Because neither separate line of business provides a group of property or services to customers of Employer F that is identical to the group of bearing products provided by the industry segment reported on Employer F's annual Form 10-K, neither separate line of business described in this example satisfies the safe harbor in this paragraph (e).

(i) Employer G is treated as operating two separate lines of business, Line 1 and Line 2, in accordance with § 1.414(r)-1(b). Employer G maintains three qualified plans. Plan A is a calendar-year profit-sharing plan that benefits all employees of Employer G. Plan B is a defined benefit plan with a plan year ending March 31 that benefits all employees of Line 1. Plan C is a defined benefit plan with a plan year ending November 30 that benefits all employees of Line 2.

(ii) In 1995, Line 1 has a highly compensated employee percentage ratio of 25 percent. Employer G's first testing day is March 31. After applying the rules of § 1.414(r)-7, the nonhighly compensated employees of Line 1 and Line 2 on March 31, 1995, are N1-N80 and N81-N100, respectively. N1 is an excludable employee under § 1.410(b)-6 for purposes of the average benefit percentage test during the testing period that includes the plan years of Plans A, B, and C that end in 1995 (the “1995 testing period”), and would therefore not be taken into account in determining whether any of those plans satisfied the average benefit percentage test of § 1.410(b)-5 for plan years included in that testing period, because N1 does not satisfy the minimum age and service conditions under any plan of the employer. All other employees of Line 1 and Line 2 on March 31, 1995 are nonexcludable employees for purposes of the average benefit percentage test during the 1995 testing period.

(iii) In order for Line 1 to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph (f) for 1995, the actual benefit percentage of N2-N80 for the 1995 testing period under Plans A, B and C must be at least as great as the actual benefit percentage of N81-N100 for the same testing period under the same plans. N1 is not taken into account because N1 is an excludable employees for purposes of the average benefit percentage test for the 1995 testing period. Any other employees who were taken into account for purposes of the average benefit percentage test for the 1995 testing period are excluded because they are not employees of Line 1 or Line 2 on March 31, 1995.