ERISA includes employee protections by mandating plans have minimum participation, vesting, accrual, and funding standards. It includes protections from employers discriminating in favor of highly compensated employees. ERISA § 502(a) permits participants and beneficiaries to bring civil actions against the plan to collect benefits due under the plan, for breaches of fiduciary responsibility for losses caused to the plan or your account within the plan, or for “other appropriate equitable relief.” ERISA § 510 also prohibits any person from taking any adverse employment action against you for exercising any of your rights under ERISA, and from interfering with your right to the attainment of benefits (for example, by firing you just before your benefits vest).