• Section 510 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act is Section 510 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) that prohibits employers from taking actions that could limit or impair an employee’s benefits. Section 510 also prohibits an employer from taking punitive action against a member for exercising his or her rights under an employee benefit plan. Specifically, ERISA Section 510 prohibits employers from (1) discriminating or taking adverse action against plan members or beneficiaries for exercising their rights under ERISA plans, (2) preventing members or beneficiaries from exercising their rights under ERISA, and (3) ) taking retaliatory action against individuals for providing information or testifying in any investigation or proceeding under ERISA. For example, Section 510 prohibits an employer from firing an employee for no reason just before the date he or she should become eligible for a company pension plan.