ERISA is the federal law which applies to almost all employee benefit claims. ERISA: federal law protects private-sector employees' rights: pension, retirement, health care benefits, short-term and long-term disability.This blog post will give an overview of how ERISA can impact your severance agreement. A severance policy may be treated as an ERISA plan even if the policy is not in writing. The federal courts lost sight of ERISA's contract law core, failing to develop a robust understanding of the employer's promissory obligation. Fill out the contact form or call us at to schedule your consultation. Vegas; B.A., Brigham Young University, 2005. County Code ("Retirement Law"). XIX discusses ERISA ESOP litigation. See also MARK A. ROTHSTEIN ET AL,.