Participants who work specified periods of time earn nonforfeitable rights to receive pensions at retirement. Plans are generally required to give benefit credit for all years of plan participation. The dollar value assigned to each year of benefit credit must conform to nondiscrimination rules aimed at preventing excessive weighting in favor of higher-paid and older employees. Plans are required to provide benefits for widows and widowers of plan participants, although this protection can be given up if both husband and wife agree. Plans must pay pensions to former spouses if directed to do so by a specific kind of court order.
Participants have rights as to the timing and form of payment of their pensions.
Persons administering pension plans or investing plan assets are subject to mandatory standards of conduct. There are procedures for participants to appeal adverse pension benefit decisions, first to the plan, and then, if necessary, to the courts. Plans may not use discharges, layoffs, plant closings, or other means to interfere with participants' attaining their benefits under a pension plan. This data may be made available to participants.