Author Topic: What is included in your benefits package?  (Read 11250 times)

netskyblue

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 637
  • Location: Midwest USA
What is included in your benefits package?
« on: February 10, 2015, 02:17:38 PM »
Our employer makes a point of telling us often, and at length, how GREAT our benefits package is, and how LUCKY we are to have an employer who takes such good care of us.

Talking with a bunch of my co-workers yesterday, we kind of surmise that the above is kind of a load of bull.  Just looking at the benefits of people we know, we think our benefits package is merely average. 

   - Health insurance $45/month for the employee, or ~$500/month for family (not sure the exact #, but it's more than 500 and less than 600)  Comes with HSA, but contribution is up to employee.

   - Flexible Spending (Cafeteria) plan offered

   - Short/long term disability insurance, accident/critical illness insurance, and life insurance plans available to purchase.

   - 401k, with 5% match if the employee puts 5% (this is new as of Feb 1, used to be 2%)  However, it's full of high cost managed funds, no index funds.

   - 14 days PTO the first 9 years, 19 days PTO starting in the 10th year of employment.  Does not roll over, up to 5 unused days may be reimbursed by check at the end of the year.  This includes "sick time."

   - 6 paid holidays.

   - We have a good sized break room, with a full-sized fridge/freezer, 2 microwaves, and ample cabinet space to store your stuff.

   - They will pay for certain trade courses/certifications.

JLee

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7513
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2015, 02:25:39 PM »
I have:
50% match on 401k, up to 6% employee contribution (so effectively 3% match).
Two weeks vacation and four floating holidays, six paid holidays off (no rollover); three weeks after 5 years
Five sick days a year (unused will roll over)
Short term disability - $12.58/mo (no employer contribution)
Long term disability - $2.34/mo (no employer contribution)
Life insurance (1.5x salary) paid by employer
Health/dental/vision (terrible coverage IMO) is $92.46/mo (employer paid portion is $323.28/mo)

We do have a 33% ESP (up to 15% of gross income can be used to purchase company stock, and 12 months after that purchase we get 33% of that amount in either stock or payroll contribution).

We also do have tuition reimbursement for work-related classes and coffee and refrigerators in the break room.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2015, 02:52:34 PM by JLee »

Stash Engineer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 527
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2015, 02:35:23 PM »
I'd call that average. 

-Our health insurance is $425/mo for family. 
-We have a 'Cantina' with a debit card system
-All that additional insurance is standard stuff at any company I've ever worked for.
-Up to 4% match on our 401k contributions
-15 days of PTO for the first 5 years, 20 days from 5 to 10 yrs, 25 days beyond that (includes sick days too)
-11 paid holidays
-Break rooms about the same
-Also pays for certifications directly related to your current job

Additional perks you don't get:
-Free (excellent) breakfast every Friday
-Ability to purchase stock at 85% of market value
-Quarterly bonus to the highest performing individual per engineering group (although the implementation of this is sometimes suspect)

bogart

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1094
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2015, 02:44:50 PM »
Looks unexciting to me.

My current employer provides great benefits by local standards and possibly national standards, though I'll note that all else equal in my admittedly limited experience, the benefits provided by employers (in general) in states with powerful organized labor are way better than those that don't have it, and the state I live in is definitely in the latter category (right-to-work state).

PTO varies by employee level, but not <10 days/year; I get 15.  12 sick days.  13 holidays.

Health insurance varies; I pay for the expensive plan (~$200/month for me + kids) because my employer is a medical care provider and the less expensive plans = employer provides care.  Too "company store" for me.

8% retirement account contribution, no employee contribution required.  Investment options include Vanguard.

Long-term disability insurance provided, no cost.  Adequate, not great, policy.

Life-insurance available at low cost (paid by employee but cheaper than what I can get on the free market despite even though I am -- touch wood -- uninteresting in terms of risk profile).

Good tuition benefits for employee and, for college, for employee's kids (some programs/circumstances, but pretty inclusive/flexible).

Pretty lousy dental and vision insurance offerings (but not lousier than average for these kinds of plans).

3 weeks paid parental leave for most employees.

trailrated

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1136
  • Age: 36
  • Location: Bay Area Ca
  • a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2015, 02:47:53 PM »
I have:
0% match on 401k
One week vacation, three paid holidays off (no rollover)
Health/dental/vision (covered by employer, we just handle the co-pays)

2Birds1Stone

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7916
  • Age: 1
  • Location: Earth
  • K Thnx Bye
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2015, 02:48:28 PM »
Writing this out actually makes working on my measly base salary bearable while I wait for my sales accounts.

Health Insurance for $22/month
Dental Insurance for $14/month
Life Insurance = 1 years salary
Sort Term/Long term DI
50% 401k match on first 5% of Salary
Biannual stock purchase option at 5% below ticker
10 paid holidays a year
Hire Date anniversary paid day off
8 Paid Sick Days a year
3 Paid Personal Days a year
1-4 weeks Paid Vacation, performance based
Company paid happy hours, dinners. Every other month.
Kick ass holiday party
3 Paid volunteering days off per year
Pay for courses, certs, education related to Job
A VERY nice large company gym with showers and towel service
Full sized sports facility, basketball, racquetball, Tennis, full sized track outside.
Sweet coffee bar in every break room, Keurig machines with a variety of 30 different coffees and teas.
Catered "Lunch and Learns" 1 x per month. 
« Last Edit: February 10, 2015, 02:50:11 PM by 2Birds1Stone »

hoodedfalcon

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 514
  • Location: Deep and Dirty
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2015, 03:01:56 PM »
Individual health/dental insurance covered 100%, family covered at 75%
15 sick days/year
10 paid holidays
24 days annual leave (after 4 years)
Comp time for every hour worked over 37.5
5% employer match (Vanguard funds available)
Professional licenses/fees/insurance paid by employer

I am pretty happy with it.

fields

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 83
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2015, 03:35:03 PM »
I work for the state.  We have a pretty good union, I think.

About ten different health ins plans to choose from, from inexpensive to quite expensive.  I pay $300/month for a family plan in the mid-range.

Life insurance, not sure how much since I pay for more.

LTD, I pay $42/month.

Five personal days, but new hires only get three.

Twelve hours of sick time/month.

Four weeks paid vacation after 9.5 years, five weeks after 19.5 years.

Many fully paid training opportunities, and up to $1000/year reimbursement for tuition (also, tuition paid up to 50% for self and spouse at state colleges.)

Defined benefit pension.  Contribution for me is about 10% of my salary. 

Access to group health insurance rates post-retirement!

Lots of other things, like FSA, short term disability, 457 plan, paid time off to volunteer, etc.

Before people start complaining about the unfair advantages state workers enjoy, let me add that our office space is awful (a health and safety hazard), our technology is outdated, our work is endless, often pointless, and impossible, and our salaries are about 50% less than we would be paid for similar work in the private sector (and I'd have a desk chair that worked!)

« Last Edit: February 10, 2015, 03:38:55 PM by fields »

JLee

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7513
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2015, 03:44:09 PM »
I work for the state.  We have a pretty good union, I think.

About ten different health ins plans to choose from, from inexpensive to quite expensive.  I pay $300/month for a family plan in the mid-range.

Life insurance, not sure how much since I pay for more.

LTD, I pay $42/month.

Five personal days, but new hires only get three.

Twelve hours of sick time/month.

Four weeks paid vacation after 9.5 years, five weeks after 19.5 years.

Many fully paid training opportunities, and up to $1000/year reimbursement for tuition (also, tuition paid up to 50% for self and spouse at state colleges.)

Defined benefit pension.  Contribution for me is about 10% of my salary. 

Access to group health insurance rates post-retirement!

Lots of other things, like FSA, short term disability, 457 plan, paid time off to volunteer, etc.

Before people start complaining about the unfair advantages state workers enjoy, let me add that our office space is awful (a health and safety hazard), our technology is outdated, our work is endless, often pointless, and impossible, and our salaries are about 50% less than we would be paid for similar work in the private sector (and I'd have a desk chair that worked!)
Haha damn, between sick & personal days alone you have more time off than I have combining vacation, sick time, and flex time for the holidays we work.

frugalnacho

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5055
  • Age: 41
  • Location: Metro Detroit
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2015, 03:55:42 PM »
employer pays 85% of health insurance
3% contribution to 401k (whether I contribute or not)
8 paid holidays
3 weeks vacation

Unique User

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
  • Location: NC
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2015, 04:20:02 PM »
Interesting to read, we've always said that DH's employer pays crap, but sucks you in with the benefits. 

He gets:
3 weeks vacation (after 4 years, 3.5 weeks at 7 years and keeps going on up to 5 weeks), 2 weeks can roll over
sick days and personal days are at his discretion, but the work does not go away
8 holiday days
HDHP is $195 per month for him and DD, $3k deductible, company kicks in $750 to the HSA
Dental is $65 a month for the whole family
6% 401k match (through Fidelity)
20% stock purchase match
up to $4k tuition reimbursement for him, plus pay for courses, certs related to job
company paid car, insurance, gas card
laptop, cell and mobile hotspot covered
Life insurance (1.5x salary) paid by employer
Short term and long term disability paid by employer
FSA, Dependent Care account, etc. 
Prescription safety glasses and steel toed shoes paid by employer annually
Relocation package is very generous, we pocketed about 10k after we paid expenses
there is also tuition help for employee's kids, help for employee expenses during a natural disaster (we got about $2k tax free 3 years ago), credit union and lots of other perks at the corporate office. 

Mine are:
3 weeks vacation to start, 4 weeks after 4 years
sick days and personal days are at my discretion, but some of the the work does not go away
9 holiday days
regular insurance is $75 per month for me, $500 deductible
vision is $7 a month for both of us
5% 401k match  (also through Fidelity)
up to $6k annual tuition reimbursement, $350 professional development
laptop and $150 a month to pay for cell and internet
Life insurance (1x salary) paid by employer
FSA, Dependent Care account, etc. 

« Last Edit: February 10, 2015, 04:30:36 PM by Unique User »

Write Thyme

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 99
  • I will get there one day.
    • Simple Living. Saving + Frugality. Meal Planning.
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2015, 04:26:29 PM »
5 paid holidays if they fall on your regular schedule
4% 401k match
15k life insurance free
life insurance 1.5x salary
PTO is based on how long you've been here. I accrue the "best" at just over 1 day a month
I pay about $104 a month for a $1500 deductible health insurance plan. Vision included.
$9 for dental for myself
Access to an Employee Assistance Program
Free folgers in the break room! (yuk)

nanu

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 345
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Cambridge, MA
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2015, 05:20:01 PM »
I'll be starting at this place post-college, so I'm not 100% sure about everything yet. This is what I know about (mostly copying off the offer letter):

Medical insurance - several options, including one with an HSA where they put money into it. I heard it's good, but I really don't understand enough to attest
Dental & Vision for only a few $ a month
FSA for medical/dependent care
Free food - breakfast, lunch, and dinner + drinks and snacks around the office
Gym - I'm not sure if the office I'll work for has a gym, but some of the others do
Life insurance - 3 times annual salary
short & long term disability
accident insurance
travel insurance
401k matching - matching up to 100% of $3k or 50% of my contribution, whichever is higher (so $9k if I put in $18k), with Vanguard I believe
around 12 days off (depends on what day they fall on) + 15 days PTO for first 3 years
sick time - as much as you need, on the "honor system"
regular pay during jury duty
maternity/adoption/paternity leave for some amount of time
education reimbursement of 2/3 of cost if related to my work (up to $12K/year), otherwise 1/3 of cost (up to $1200/year)
"Set aside pre-tax dollars for work-related transportation expenses like mass transit and parking" - no clue how this works

MsPeacock

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1571
  • Location: High COL
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2015, 05:50:33 PM »
Health, dental, and vision insurance - I pay about $120 per month for all 3. The plans are very good. There are many to choose from - I prefer a low co-pay go see whatever doctor I want sort of plan.
11 paid federal holidays
16 hours of vacation time accrued per month. We can carry forward up to 240 hours I think w/o use or lose.
10 hours of sick time accrue each month. I believe there is no cap on how much you can bank.
Alternative work schedule - work 4-10s, or come super early leave early or a variety of other flexible arrangements
5% matching on TSP as long as you are putting in 5%
HSP/FSP options and also for childcare
Significantly discounted childcare for young children available on site.
life insurance (base level is 250k I think) w/ option to buy more coverage
optional long term disability insurance option
Pension plan
I just started receiving a 10% bonus for "retention" that can be renewed annually.

Hayden Frys Mustache

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 43
  • Age: 36
  • Location: Iowa
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2015, 05:54:51 PM »
15% contribution on salary (this is actually more of a salary reduction plan as me and the boss decide how to allocate to our SEP plans...I need to convince her to go to 25%) with my discretion to invest
Employer paid health - Max $1,000 OOP
100k life insurance
No dental/vision insurance, but a HSA
IRS mileage for business travel
Cell phone
Laptop
15 days PTO
Catered lunch meeting
Business trips to excellent locales (Maui, New Orleans, Colorado Springs recently)
Credit card rewards for business purchases
Expense reimbursement for member entertainment which may include golf outings


Rural

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5051
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2015, 06:11:45 PM »
State pension, ten years to vest, employer pays in just under 10% of salary, employee just over 6%.
403(b) and 457(k), no employer match
Health insurance, a HDHP with HSA For under 100 a month single, $350 annual employer match in to HSA. Or an HMO at ~350 a month
Life, LTD, Etc insurance available to purchase, no employer contribution
Sick time accrues at seven or eight hours a month, I think. No vacation or other PTO. Work a ten month contract, paid ten months. (extra premiums taken out in spring so insurance stretches over the summer)
A pretty decent gym, if you don't feel weird sharing with your students. $20 a semester.


Stash Engineer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 527
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #16 on: February 11, 2015, 05:53:53 AM »
Wow, some of you get some amazing amouts of paid time off between holidays, vacation, and sick days!  I really like the idea of getting your aniversary date off and this idea of a 'retention' bonus.

boarder42

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9332
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #17 on: February 11, 2015, 06:06:19 AM »
health
disability
Life
10 holidays
15 days vacation increasing 1 day per year at year 5-15 to 25 days
Onsite health center
onsite daycare
Best ESOP in the nation
401k match 50% up to 6.5%
recently went to core hours 9-4 (doesnt seem like a lot but this is a big culture shift from our rigid 730-530)
14th best place to work in 2014 we'll see where we land this year

ZiziPB

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3417
  • Location: The Other Side
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2015, 07:00:38 AM »
I get

reasonably priced health (HDHP with HSA, $800 employer contribution), dental and vision insurance
short and long term disability insurance with an option to buy more
basic life insurance with an option to buy more
2% contribution to 401k plus 6% dollar for dollar match (so effectively 8%)
24 PTO days
9 holidays
free gym (with private lockers, showers, towel service etc.)
on-site medical clinic
free parking in a garage
employee assistance program and various other misc. programs like financial advice
maternity/adoption leave

YTProphet

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 228
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2015, 07:02:29 AM »
Our employer makes a point of telling us often, and at length, how GREAT our benefits package is, and how LUCKY we are to have an employer who takes such good care of us.

Talking with a bunch of my co-workers yesterday, we kind of surmise that the above is kind of a load of bull.  Just looking at the benefits of people we know, we think our benefits package is merely average. 

   - Health insurance $45/month for the employee, or ~$500/month for family (not sure the exact #, but it's more than 500 and less than 600)  Comes with HSA, but contribution is up to employee.

   - Flexible Spending (Cafeteria) plan offered

   - Short/long term disability insurance, accident/critical illness insurance, and life insurance plans available to purchase.

   - 401k, with 5% match if the employee puts 5% (this is new as of Feb 1, used to be 2%)  However, it's full of high cost managed funds, no index funds.

   - 14 days PTO the first 9 years, 19 days PTO starting in the 10th year of employment.  Does not roll over, up to 5 unused days may be reimbursed by check at the end of the year.  This includes "sick time."

   - 6 paid holidays.

   - We have a good sized break room, with a full-sized fridge/freezer, 2 microwaves, and ample cabinet space to store your stuff.

   - They will pay for certain trade courses/certifications.

That's not that great. In fact, I'd say it's a bit less than average. Mine is pretty average, and I get 15 PTO days, 11 paid holidays, and basically everything else is the same except for the fact that I'm eligible for a bonus that's 10% of my salary at the end of the year.

YTProphet

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 228
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #20 on: February 11, 2015, 07:05:46 AM »
I get

reasonably priced health (HDHP with HSA, $800 employer contribution), dental and vision insurance
short and long term disability insurance with an option to buy more
basic life insurance with an option to buy more
2% contribution to 401k plus 6% dollar for dollar match (so effectively 8%)
24 PTO days
9 holidays
free gym (with private lockers, showers, towel service etc.)
on-site medical clinic
free parking in a garage
employee assistance program and various other misc. programs like financial advice
maternity/adoption leave

It always cracks me up when employers tout free parking as a perk. Unless you're in NYC or Chicago or something, it'd be ridiculous if an employer didn't provide parking. That's like a basic necessity of the job. Hilarious how some employers reach to describe things as a perk when they're just common sense things that should be provided to employees.

JLee

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7513
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #21 on: February 11, 2015, 07:21:07 AM »
Wow, some of you get some amazing amouts of paid time off between holidays, vacation, and sick days!  I really like the idea of getting your aniversary date off and this idea of a 'retention' bonus.
It definitely has me wondering what other employers out there might need me. :P

rubybeth

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1390
  • Location: Midwest
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #22 on: February 11, 2015, 07:42:48 AM »
My employer is kind of unique in that we get a benefit amount per month (it's at $735/mo. for 2015) and we can elect to spend it on various coverages (medical, dental, HSA, life insurance, LTC insurance, etc.), but I max out my HSA and buy my own HDHP health insurance so I can put most of the benefit amount into Deferred Compensation--I must match it with funds from my paycheck, but this has been really helpful in saving $1,000/month to that 457b, plus maxing out the HSA is nice. I have the mandatory life insurance, and both long and short term disability coverage, through my employer, but those costs are minimal and worth it to me (less than $50/mo for all my coverages through work). I pay $170/mo out of my pay for a HDHP through my state's exchange that is a better deal than anything my employer offers.

Paid time off: I've been here over 10 years so I will have 28 days of PTO in 2015 (this is both for vacation and sick time), and one personal day, plus the option to cash out some PTO (I never do this, I'd rather have the time off). We also have 11 paid holidays (public library so we're closed all of the federal holidays plus Christmas Eve day).

The benefit dollars and PTO accrual definitely make it difficult to leave, even though my pay is basically frozen. The benefit amount tends to go up by a pretty large percentage each year, so it kind of makes up for the lack of raises.

Mississippi Mudstache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Danielsville, GA
    • A Riving Home - Ramblings of a Recusant Woodworker
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #23 on: February 11, 2015, 07:50:27 AM »
I'd wouldn't be too quick to make judgment about your own benefits based on what others receive - I think benefits packages tend to be similar within industries, but not directly comparable across industries. That said, my benefits include:

-Family health insurance for $420/month ($3000 deductible, $6000 OOP max)
-$1100 company contribution to my HSA, deposited on Jan 1 each year
-Family dental insurance for $25/month
-401k with 50% match up to 6% (i.e., a 3% match)
-Additional 401k contribution of 3.5% at the end of each year (for a total 401k match of 6.5%)
-1 week vacation the first year, 2 weeks after after 1 year, 3 weeks after 5 years, and 4 weeks after 10 years
(I negotiated 3 weeks of vacation starting out. No way in hell I was going to work the first year with one week of vacation)
-10 paid holidays
-2 "flex" holidays that you can take whenever you want

I have worked for 2 of the 3 biggest players in my industry, and interviewed with the third, and there is surprisingly little difference in the overall value of benefits. You can bet that everyone knows exactly what their competitors are doing. I got a bump in my HSA and 401k contributions when I moved here, but it was completed balanced by the increased cost of health insurance.



JLee

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7513
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #24 on: February 11, 2015, 07:59:53 AM »
I'd wouldn't be too quick to make judgment about your own benefits based on what others receive - I think benefits packages tend to be similar within industries, but not directly comparable across industries.
To some extent, perhaps, but it does put in perspective how differently varying employers value their employees. I know two former coworkers (same field as me) who left for other companies in the last two years - one went to a place with an unlimited vacation time policy, and the other had 3 weeks in his first year and 4 in his second.

ZiziPB

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3417
  • Location: The Other Side
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #25 on: February 11, 2015, 08:15:09 AM »
I get

reasonably priced health (HDHP with HSA, $800 employer contribution), dental and vision insurance
short and long term disability insurance with an option to buy more
basic life insurance with an option to buy more
2% contribution to 401k plus 6% dollar for dollar match (so effectively 8%)
24 PTO days
9 holidays
free gym (with private lockers, showers, towel service etc.)
on-site medical clinic
free parking in a garage
employee assistance program and various other misc. programs like financial advice
maternity/adoption leave

It always cracks me up when employers tout free parking as a perk. Unless you're in NYC or Chicago or something, it'd be ridiculous if an employer didn't provide parking. That's like a basic necessity of the job. Hilarious how some employers reach to describe things as a perk when they're just common sense things that should be provided to employees.

In this case, it is "or something", but where I work it is a definite perk.  I used to pay $200 per month in my prior job (same city).

netskyblue

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 637
  • Location: Midwest USA
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #26 on: February 11, 2015, 08:18:05 AM »
It does seem like a lot of places get a lot more vacation time than we do.

We have to wait 10 years to get a third week.

Until about a month ago, it was 2 weeks vacation years 1-9, 3 weeks in the 10th year, and 6 sick days a year.  Sick days would roll over (up to 30), but you couldn't cash anything out.

They changed it to 14 days PTO / 19 days PTO.  So for someone like me who is sick maybe 1-2x a year, I get 2-3 extra vacation days, or a couple hundred in extra pay.

But the employees with chronic conditions who usually did use their 6 sick days are basically getting the shaft, since now they will have to take their "vacation" time to be sick.

Plus don't get me started on bereavement time - you get 3 days paid if a spouse or child dies. 

Oh, and if you schedule your PTO over a paid holiday, you get docked 1 PTO day for the holiday, but you don't get paid PTO for it, just regular holiday pay.  So you would have had the day off anyway, but since you took PTO on the days surrounding the holiday, you have to give up a PTO day for a day you would already have been off.  It's annoying.

Stash Engineer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 527
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #27 on: February 11, 2015, 08:26:11 AM »
It does seem like a lot of places get a lot more vacation time than we do.

We have to wait 10 years to get a third week.

Until about a month ago, it was 2 weeks vacation years 1-9, 3 weeks in the 10th year, and 6 sick days a year.  Sick days would roll over (up to 30), but you couldn't cash anything out.

They changed it to 14 days PTO / 19 days PTO.  So for someone like me who is sick maybe 1-2x a year, I get 2-3 extra vacation days, or a couple hundred in extra pay.

But the employees with chronic conditions who usually did use their 6 sick days are basically getting the shaft, since now they will have to take their "vacation" time to be sick.

Plus don't get me started on bereavement time - you get 3 days paid if a spouse or child dies. 

Oh, and if you schedule your PTO over a paid holiday, you get docked 1 PTO day for the holiday, but you don't get paid PTO for it, just regular holiday pay.  So you would have had the day off anyway, but since you took PTO on the days surrounding the holiday, you have to give up a PTO day for a day you would already have been off.  It's annoying.

That PTO on a holiday is BS!  We also have 3 days of bereavement, but are forced to take vacation for any and all sick days. 

neo von retorch

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4922
  • Location: SE PA
    • Fi@retorch - personal finance tracking
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #28 on: February 11, 2015, 09:21:14 AM »
Holidays: All major banking holidays + 1 floating ("birthday")
PTO: 15 days (3 weeks) - no rollover
Sick: 5 days - rollover was just eliminated
401k: 100% match up to 4% fully vested
Health: Opted for HDHP/HSA (single, $0 premium, get $125 added by company each month)
Flexibility: Flex hours (core roughly 10am-4pm) and after 1 year get one fixed day per week to WFH

theonethatgotaway

  • Guest
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #29 on: February 11, 2015, 09:26:36 AM »
Husband works at one of the major Tech players so:

Unlimited vacation. We haven't taken any yet, but most of his coworkers do actually take time off (meaning, work from email) and go on trips.
Healthcare would be free if it was only him, to cover the family we pay $450 for top of the line almost no deductible and $20 copay for specialist- it was 425 per month for high deductible in network only.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner if wanted, snacks, drinks, you name it- provided by the company. I can bring the kids and join for these meals if we want- we haven't yet though.
401k match at 6%
Paid cell plan
Paid train commute
Paid gym membership


It's great, but at the end of the day it's loooong hours, hard work, and still working for the man ;).

Chrissy

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1498
  • Age: 46
  • Location: Chicago
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #30 on: February 11, 2015, 11:18:54 AM »
We're a non-profit with a $70M annual operating budget.

Health insurance PPO year-round with $1,000 deductible
FSA w/ dependent care option
401K, no match
9% pension
Tax-free public transportation/parking benefit
Some disability benefits
$75,000 life insurance
Guaranteed work (tenure) after 2 years of service
2 wks paid vacation at Christmas, no sick time or at-will PTO
12 weeks lifetime maternity care, can take up to 8 wks together, max
Option for leave-of-absence
Defined severence package
5 months off in the summer, unpaid, but unemployment claims are uncontested

Mississippi Mudstache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
  • Age: 40
  • Location: Danielsville, GA
    • A Riving Home - Ramblings of a Recusant Woodworker
Re: What is included in your benefits package?
« Reply #31 on: February 11, 2015, 11:41:21 AM »
I'd wouldn't be too quick to make judgment about your own benefits based on what others receive - I think benefits packages tend to be similar within industries, but not directly comparable across industries.
To some extent, perhaps, but it does put in perspective how differently varying employers value their employees. I know two former coworkers (same field as me) who left for other companies in the last two years - one went to a place with an unlimited vacation time policy, and the other had 3 weeks in his first year and 4 in his second.

I think you missed my point. If your former co-workers and their new employers are in the same field as you, then it would make sense to compare their benefits package to your own. However, it would make little sense for me to get upset about a software engineer who can work from home, gets free meals, stock options, etc. because those things aren't typical of my industry. I'm not a computer scientist, I'm a forester. If you have a more general degree, like, say, accounting or business/economics, and therefore employable in any number of industries, then it makes sense to look across industry lines.