Employee vs. Employer Contributions
Employee contributions to a 401(k) like the People’s Electric Cooperative Retirement Plan are always 100% vested. Employer contributions, however, may be subject to a vesting schedule. That means:
- Your spouse may not be entitled to unvested portions of employer contributions
- If the employee (your ex) leaves the company early, unvested amounts might be forfeited—which can change the value you receive
Any QDRO must specify whether the former spouse gets a share of just the vested balance or both vested and unvested funds as they vest over time. From our experience, many plan administrators reject orders lacking this detail.

