Employee Retirement Income Security Act Section 510 — section 510 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) prevents
employers from taking actions that might abridge or impair an employee from
collecting benefits. Section 510 also prevents an employer from taking punitive
action against a participant for exercising his or her rights under an employee
benefit plan. More specifically, Section 510 of ERISA bars employers from (1)
discriminating or taking adverse action against plan participants or
beneficiaries for exercising their rights under ERISA plans, (2) interfering
with participants' or beneficiaries' attainment of rights under ERISA,
and (3) retaliating against individuals for giving information or testifying in
any inquiry or proceeding under ERISA. For example, Section 510 would prohibit
an employer from terminating an employee, without cause, immediately prior to
the date on which he or she is scheduled to become vested in the company's
pension plan.