When you're surveying the benefits of a potential job, an employer 401(k) contribution match should be pretty much non-negotiable. The match should be a minimum requirement, but it's not necessarily a sign of a top-notch retirement plan, says ABC News columnist David McPherson. Here are two things he says to look out for when evaluating an employer contribution (the bold sections are mine):

First, any employer of a decent size should offer a contribution that amounts to at least 3 percent of your salary. This may be a stretch for some small employers or startups, but it should be the starting point for most companies...The most common formula is one in which the employer kicks in 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, up to 6 percent of your pay. Whatever the formula, your bottom line should be that the employer's contribution amounts to at least 3 percent of what you make. Anything less and I'd keep looking.

There's more to the 401(k) business than you may think. According to CNNMoney's "The Mole," administering a 401(k) plan is expensive, what with record keeping and compliance costs. As a result, some administrators offer low-cost plans to employers that are loaded with expensive mutual fund options. If this is the case at your job, the Mole suggests approaching your employer about changing 401(k) providers and otherwise opening an IRA (after you take advantage of any matching funds offered by your employer).

But how do you know if your 401(k) is subpar? Jeremy at GenerationXFinance, who works as a retirement planning specialist, provides a couple of red flags to help you determine if you're in a lousy plan:

Gibraltar Industries has stopped making matching contributions to its workers' 401(k) accounts as the Hamburgbased building products and steel processing firm grapples with deep slumps in its key housing and automotive markets.

Count Andy Roddick among the Miami Heat fans who was moved by Alonzo Mourning's jersey retirement ceremony. Roddick, a diehard Heat fan, attended Monday night's game with his fiancée, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. They left after the halftime tribute because Roddick wanted to rest for Tuesday's match.

LoJack Corp. is cutting the compensation of its senior executives and its 401(k) match to all employees in the wake of falling profits and revenue, the company announced Tuesday.

See how your 401(k) compares.

Federal Express, Sears, UPS, Eastman Kodak and Hewlett-Packard. The list of major employers that have halted their 401(k) match continues to grow as corporate profits hit the skids, forcing thousands of retirement savers to fend for themselves -- at least until the economy recovers.

More companies are retracting their 401 commitments. Take these steps to stay on track for retirement.

The steep decline in the stock market isn't the only hit to 401(k)s. A growing number of employers are suspending matching contributions to workers' accounts as the recession drags on.

Q: Both of us contribute the maximum to our 401(k) plans that our employers match. Projections show us as having substantial balances if we work until age 65. We want to retire early. With the balances these projections show us as having (and we know there are many factors that may affect these projected numbers), we could even do something as conservative as put the money in a savings account ...