The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) provides employees in the private sector with a number of rights as to pension benefits and welfare benefits. Welfare benefits in this context refers to benefits such as severance, health care, vacation and other fringe benefits. These rights are especially valuable. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for employers to fail to pay these benefits or to even cheat employees out of benefits. The law firm of Samuel J. Cordes is based in Pittsburgh and represents workers across western Pennsylvania in ERISA litigation. Our attorneys offer experienced and dedicated representation in a very complex legal area.

Many ERISA claims involve the failure to properly fund or manage employee pensions. Under ERISA, employers are required to keep their promises with pension benefits. If your employer has a pension program or retirement plan, it must ensure these funds are protected and properly funded. In some cases, employers may fail to make required contributions to a retirement plan. If your employer agrees to contribute a certain percentage of payroll to an ERISA plan, but fails to do so, your employer violates wage and hour laws in addition to ERISA. In other cases, an employee may be fired shortly before pension vests, in order to avoid paying the employee the pension.

From an employee’s perspective, the most important thing about ERISA is that it is an unusually complicated field of law. If you have reason to believe that your employer is not paying you the pension benefits, severance or other benefits you are entitled to receive, it is vital that you work with a lawyer, and a law firm, who understands these complexities. Samuel J. Cordes has more than 30 years of experience representing working men and women in employment litigation. He understands these laws and how to apply them to your situation.

Call 412-519-4663 or email our law firm to schedule a consultation.