Hanesbrands (HBI)

14.17 Claims Procedure

Claims for benefits under the Plan shall be made in such manner as the Committee shall prescribe. Claims for benefits and the appeal of denied claims under the Plan shall be administered in accordance with Section 503 of ERISA, the regulations thereunder (and any other law that amends, supplements or supersedes said Section of ERISA), and the claims and appeals procedures adopted by the Committee and/or the Appeal Committee, as appropriate, for that purpose. The Plan shall provide adequate notice to any claimant whose claim for benefits under the Plan has been denied, setting forth the reasons for such denial, and shall afford a reasonable opportunity to such claimant for a full and fair review by the Appeal Committee of the decision denying the claim. No action at law or in equity shall be brought to recover benefits under the Plan until the appeal rights described in this Subsection have been exercised and the Plan benefits requested in such appeal have been denied in whole or in part. Any legal action subsequent to a denial of a benefit appeal taken by a Participant against the Plan or its fiduciaries must be filed in a court of law no later than ninety (90) days after the Appeal Committee’s final decision on review of an appealed claim. All decisions and communications relating to claims by Participants, denials of claims or claims appeals under this SECTION 14 shall be held strictly confidential by the Participant, the Committees and the Employers during and at all times after the Participant’s claim has been submitted in accordance with this Section.