Many employers provide employees with various retirement benefits in the form of retirement and investment accounts or plans—including 401k plans, pension plans, and thrift savings plans (for federal employees)—sometimes with employer-matching of employee contributions.

Retirement benefits are generally discretionary and private employers are not obligated to provide them—or any other employee benefits. Most employees are also covered by Social Security—a retirement benefit administered by by the federal government—with eligibility for benefits beginning at age 62.

In Pennsylvania, as in other states, employers may offer retirement benefits such as 401(k) plans, pension plans, and thrift savings plans, the latter being specific to federal employees. These benefits are typically voluntary for private employers to provide, and they are not mandated by law to offer them. Employers that do offer these plans may also choose to match employee contributions to a certain extent. Additionally, most employees in Pennsylvania are covered by Social Security, which is a federal retirement program. Social Security benefits become available starting at age 62, although the full retirement age for receiving full benefits depends on the year of birth. It's important to note that while private employers are not required to offer retirement benefits, if they do, they must comply with federal regulations such as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to ensure the proper management and fairness of these plans.