An employer match is when the employer will add a certain amount of money to your 401(k) plan on your behalf, usually as a percentage of your own contribution.

For example, an employer may offer a 50% match on the first 6% of an employee's salary that the employee contributes to their 401(k) account. This means that if an employee saves 6% of their salary in their 401(k), the employer will also contribute 3% (50% of 6%). If the employee does not contribute at least 6%, they will only get part of the employer match. It is important to try and contribute enough to get the full employer match to ensure you are not leaving and free money on the table. Companies often use matching contributions as a way to encourage employees to save for retirement and to attract and retain talented workers.