Fully vesting in a retirement plan means that an employee has full ownership of the employer's contributions to the retirement plan, including any matching contributions, regardless of whether the employee continues to work for the company. In other words, the employee is entitled to the entire amount of the employer's contributions, even if they leave the company before retirement. Vesting schedules can vary, but once a retirement plan is fully vested, the employee has complete rights to the funds. This is an important consideration when evaluating the benefits of a retirement plan, as it impacts the portability of the employer's contributions. Fully vesting in a retirement plan ensures that the employee has full ownership of the employer's contributions, regardless of continued employment.