A sad state of affairs...

[andrea843]

a week or so ago, I Asked you all to tell me what special out of the box job perks were offered at your companies.  No one replied with on site child care, very few with extended family leave or other "perks" we've been taught are out there, and they ARE, but apparently they are as rare to Admins as free time is to me.



 The most comments were about free coffee.  Now not to be a *itch, but what does that tell you about the benefits being offered to the Admin-Nation as a whole?

[countrigal]

On the whole I found it educating what is offered for perks out there, and how many of us view free cookies/doughnuts/muffins/coffee as a great benie.



I like the fact that a number of posts listed tuition assistance/reimbursement, which at least shows that they are willing to educate their admins, but I wonder how many admins are actively using that benefit to help their career... or should I say how many admins are being approved for this in actuallity?



Sometimes a question such as you posed Andrea can show us how much we need to educate ourselves on our selfworth before we can honestly expect the world as a whole to view our selfworth as more.

[radaro]

A while ago I asked my HR department why we didn't have on site day care.  First of all, the problem that effects most places is space.  There is no where in our building to set up an on-site day care.  



That being said, there is also no where for the kids to play out doors.  There is a car dealership on one side of us and the remaining three sides have roadways (including one major highway).



Also, on site daycare requires additional staff, facilities (little toilets and the like) and liability insurance.



Perhaps instead of on-site daycare our employers could provide daycare reimbursements (similar to tuition reimbursements).  Any other suggestions?

[fireproof]

Ah well.  My company does offer a "pre-tax" account for paying childcare, which I appreciate.  We admins must get access to all the bennies provided for the *guys,* so naturally there is a 401k AND (amazingly) a pension plan.  Our pre-tax payable benefits also include a medical reimbursement account, a variety of life insurance policies (which you can extend to your family) and "long term care" insurance (which you can also buy for your parents, spouse or children).



Of course, if the unions ever got their slimey little tentacles in the door the *guys* would continue to negotiate for the goodies and (since unions have no interest in the *little people*), we no doubt would lose out.



Interestingly, we have an "emergency response" plan in place, which includes 24-hour childcare arrangements for those of us who will be needed to work until the "emergency" is resolved (could take weeks if it is bad).  

[phoenix55]

I don't have on-site day care, but there is day care through my work a couple blocks away--practically on-site, very highly rated, but....



I work for the government.  I was considering availing myself of this (it is somewhat costly, but the care is very good) and then came OKC.  I know it's a great comfort to the parents knowing your child is very close, but I just can't justify bringing little kids into a federal building anymore.  And to follow through, it's not just the government people don't like--it's big corporations, etc.  Just too risky for me, despite all the precautions and safety measures now being taken.  My kids are quite a distance away, but it's certainly harder on me than them.



I like the day-care reimbursement Radar suggested, but we have a flexible benefits plan where we can put away pre-tax dollars into an account and withdraw it to pay for childcare (as well as one for non-covered medical expenses and medical insurance premiums not provided for in our regular benefits package, one for commuter benefits and one for parking).



Our office (not the government as a whole--just my boss) does offer somewhat limited educational assistance.  Some of the biggest perks of government work, as everyone is aware, I'm sure, is the time off.  And retirement benefits--don't forget those.  Not much else--everyone is always surprised at how much we have to pay for our other benefits, raises are based upon our budgets and what Congress and the President decide are decent COLA's.  

[ssc1208]

Our company has looked into it, but has decided against it. They like to give everyone in the firm the same things, and with as many locations as we have, it would be difficult. Plus there's the cost and insurance. We do have child care spending accounts and discounts at child care facilities in the area.



We also get FMLA leave to care for a new born, adopted baby, or for a sick parent.



I guess I didn't mention that, because it's not important to me. I don't have kids, don't want them, so even if we had child care on site, I still wouldn't care.



I do use the tuition reimbursement benefit though. Problem is, I still have to come up with the money up front, and I just don't have it, so I've only used it once. It would be granted to me, though. Some companies are a little different when it comes to who and what they'll pay for. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.



And the free lunch and breakfast is a HUGE benefit, b/c I don't spend money on lunch every day.  

[elleny]

ssc1208,



Explain FMLA leave?  Are you talking about the Family Medical Leave Act?  Do you get paid time off for this or just time off?  If it's just time off, then it's not a benifit, it's required by law.



Ellen (is it Friday yet?)

[ssc1208]

Yes, sorry, acronym crazy here. FMLA is the Family and Medical Leave Act. We do get paid so much for various amounts of time. I believe we get six weeks paid at a certain amount, (eight for a cesearean) and we can take up to twelve, which is what the law says, and we can use vacation, personal, or non-compensated time for the remaining time. So it is a benefit b/c we do get paid for it. I think it's 60% or something. Not exactly sure. Personally, I hope to never have to use it!!! :-)  

[msgladiator]

I mentioned the main benefits I receive in my prior posting.  One thing I failed to mentioned is that my employee has a health care reimbursement account (cafeteria plan) in which my employer contributes an additional $300 towards each year.  Our corporate office, which is in another state, has a large child care center and a health club on site.  I work at a branch office which does not have these amenities, but we do get substantial discounts to local health clubs.  We also get numerous other discounts, including discounts on new automobiles through Ford Motor Company and discounts on furniture.  We also get a packet full of recreational discounts on hotel and travel, movie tickets, theme parks, etc.  Last but not least, we have a new employee referral bonus which pays up to $3,000.  I feel very lucky!        

[andrea843]

Now that's a first.  The Family and Medical Leave Act provides for up to 12 weeks of leave, in the case of childbirth, catastrophic illness of yourself, or a closely related family member and is Federally mandated for companies who have over 50 employees.



I have never heard of an employer compensating employees for FMLA time other than allowing them to use accrued vacation, sick time and personal time. what a novel and refreshing idea.  Most employers view the FMLA rather like they would a Toxic Waste Dump they know it's there, but they tend to not talk about it overly much ) for fear that employees will actually USE FMLA time.  Of course the conditions under which it can be taken and one's job retained are very stringent under federal guidelines, but even so,, kudos to the company! Got any openings?





Adrea

[whitesatin]

My thoughts too, Andrea.  I think maybe we are talking Short Term Disability and Long Term Disability benefits here. Perhaps we're getting it confused?



WhiteSatin  

[twhfan]

I meant to post to your original message about benefits, but I didn't get around to it.  I am one of the lucky ones.  We do have on-site child care (I pay for it, not my employer) and our daycare is the best, bar none!  I feel very fortunate to have my child so close by.  I take my daily stroll down the hall to visit for 10 minutes and what a wonderful pick-me-up to get a hug and a kiss from my child in the middle of the day!  

On-site daycare is definitely the benefit that keeps me here!



In addition to this we have a very family-friendly workplace - they are very flexible and generous with time off, etc.  The pay is just average, but the daycare and time off is excellent and these are the 2 most important things to me.



 

[phoenix55]

Kind of timely, I think, but I just read in a news digest for federal employees that if federal employers don't advise employees of their rights and responsbilities under the FMLA when the employee requests any kind of absence, any kind of adverse action against the employee in relation to the absence could be overturned or at least questioned.



Sounds like the FMLA can no longer be ignored, at least by government employers.  Not as good as getting paid time for it, but....

 

[ssc1208]

OK, to clarify, yes, when you go on FMLA or maternity leave, you're paid under the short term disability program. Here's what the policy says,



"In general, the 12-week leave period is noncompensated time; however, a portion may be paid, depending on your circumstances. For example, in the case of maternity leave, six or eight weeks following the birth of a child is considered disability and would be compensated according to the disability coverage you have available under the salary continuation plan"



"You start accruing salary continuation (or illness) days on the day you begin working at <<firm name here>>. You accrue two and one-half days per quarter (or ten days per year). [these are sick days]



Accrued salary continuation will be paid at 100% pay during a disability. If you are still disabled when your salary continuation pay is exhausted, paid time  off accruals may be used to supplement salary continuation payments. (You continue to accrue salary continuation days, as well as paid time off days during a disability leave.)"



OK, so that means you use your sick time, however much you have, until it runs out.



"For any disability that extends beyond ten consecutive working days, 60% of pay replacement will be available for up to an additional 30 working days, as long as you are continuously disabled. These 60% pay replacement days begin after your accrued 100% pay replacement days are depleted, or after ten consecutive working days, whichever is later."



Which means that after you've used up all your sick time, you can get paid at 60% for up to 30 days. At some point, I know that you can use vacation or personal time to supplement your time off. And if you're "exempt" (salaried), or "nonexempt" (hourly) and have been here more than five years, you get more, as I understand it. Oy! So much more than I ever wanted to know about this!!! I think I have it all right. As a side note, we also have "Mother's Rooms" for associates that want to breast-feed and need to take care of lactation needs during the work day.



And to answer the question, yes, we do have openings.   Let me know if you're interested. (grins at self b/c she gets a $1,500 referral bonus and could win a trip to the Bahamas) LOL