vested rights
Legal and political term referring to rights already acquired and protected from being taken away.
Laws that infringe upon vested rights were ruled unconstitutional.
The labor union kept negotiating to protect its vested rights.
Some lawmakers clung to their vested rights and opposed the reform.
The new regulation was criticized for infringing on vested rights.
After negotiations, the company agreed to relinquish some of its vested rights.