John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (the 'Fund'), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC (the 'Adviser') and subadvised by Wellington Management Company LLP, announced that its Board of Trustees voted to amend its current managed distribution plan (the 'Plan'), decreasing the amount of its quarterly distribution by 23%. Under the Plan, the Fund will make quarterly distributions of an amount equal to $0.29 per share, a decrease from the previous quarterly distribution of $0.376 per share. This new amount will be paid quarterly until further notice. The adjustment in distribution is the result of an analysis conducted by the investment team managing the portfolio with respect to the rate and sustainability of the Fund's distributions. As portfolio and market conditions change, the distribution rate paid by the Fund could change. Pursuant to its Plan, the Fund declared its quarterly distribution as follows: Declaration Date is June 25, 2020, Ex Date is September 10, 2020, Record Date is September 11, 2020 and Payment Date is September 30, 2020.