Job Perks

[andrea843]

Nearly everyone gets vacation and sick time, but what about the "super perks".  things an employer provides that are out of the box, extraordinary?



Does anyone out there have on site daycare,or educational benefits or other out of the ordinary employer supplied benefits and if so, what are they?

[Katie G]

I work for a university so we get FULL tuition remission for undergrad AND postgrad courses (except medical and law school).  No strings attached!  (My former job would only pay if the courses related to your job and you had to sign a paper saying you'd stay with the company for X amount of years afterward.)  Additionally, spouses and dependent children get full tuition remission for undergrad courses.  A lot of people here are literally putting themselves and their kids through college!  

[Katie G]

Andrea, good to see/hear you again!  

[nolalady]

My company has several:



Matching contributions to non-profit organizations & mini grants

Up to $5,000 toward adoption

Tuition reimbursement

New PC and appliance purchase plans (20% below cost/pre-tax) deducted monthly from paycheck

Yearly Health screenings (flu shots, physicals, etc)

Buying up to a week in Vacation time

40 hrs Dependent sick time

[radaro]

Most of our benefits are pretty standard in Ontario

- We have socialized medicine in Ontario but our company will cover additional medical benefits (semi-private hospital room, physiotherapist, etc.)

- Dental benefits

- Glasses/contact lenses up to $200 every other year



Some of the ones that are different are:

- Non-traditional medical benefits (i.e. Chinese herbal treatments)

- Free parking

- tuition to courses related to your current position on a sliding scale (100% for A, 75% for B, 50% for C)

- Up to $200/year fitness/wellness or technology benefit

+ beer/softdrink Fridays once a month

[adassistant]

First thing in the morning there is a fruit basket waiting for us in each kitchen.  We are also offered free coffee, both regular and decaf, hot chocolate, both regular and sugar free, tea, both regular and decaf.  A couple of months ago, my company purchased a popcorn machine that rotates from floor to floor (I really don't like it when it's on my floor, it smells way too good!).



We also have tuition reimbursement, free, designated, parking spots, stock options, summer days (paid days off in the summer time), free flu shots...



Because we advertise for the automotive industry, we all receive a nice supplier discount when buying or leasing vehicles.  Also, *because* we are considered an automotive supplier, whenever our client's office is closed, we're closed too - paid!  So... our office is always closed starting a couple of days before xmas until a few days after New Years (this is quite common for many businesses in SE Michigan).  Another perk with working in the advertising industry is that I get just about any magazine or newspaper that I want.  

[dragonladybug]

We have a very good tuition reimbursement program, and we get matching contributions to our savings plan (50 cents for each dollar).  We also have free coffee, tea and cocoa, and free parking.  Some other outside benefits are discounts we can receive - 2 auto manufacturers offer discounts as employees of their suppliers, employee purchase plan from Dell Computers, CompUSA, Sam's Club, numerous health clubs, even a couple of local restaurants give a 10% discount if you show your badge, and we can use the company discount from the travel agency.



This year we received an added benefit - money deposited into our savings plan accounts (deposited as shares) for all who were active employees for the entire fiscal year - the company decided to share with its employees the outstanding profit earned in fiscal 2000!  Too bad we won't get it every year.



These are all perks that everyone receives - but I get a few "extras" from my boss because we have a great working relationship (translation - I spoil him rotten and he returns the favor   ).





 

[mcbethers]

I work for an optical company.  We get our glasses at 40% off wholesale and our immediate family gets glasses for wholesale.  And there's no limit on how many pairs of glasses we can get.

[kkosmoski]

In addition to the regular health & dental benefits, we have an optical plan that pays for glasses every 2 years; mail in prescription service which will fill a 3 month supply of hormones for me for $14.73 (you don't want to see me without my hormones!).  We have a generous tuition reimbursement plan with full repayment for an A grade going down from there based on grade.



A few times a week we have fresh fruit delivered to our lunch room and there is always free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, plasticware, paper plates, etc. in our department's lunch room.  A supervisor brings in donuts each Monday.  My dept., engineering, also has a commercial popcorn maker.  I buy the popcorn by the case and expense it.  We have an in-house event coordinator who will get snacks or lunch delivered to an in-house meeting when requested.



Once a month we have a company paid lunch & town meeting.  They give gift certificates for birthdays, work anniversaries and recognition for employee of the month, etc.  Our CEO has also taken my entire dept (65 people) to breakfast twice in the past 6 months.

[ozbound]

Our company offers dental plan, one pair glasses or contacts per year and has recently added alternative healthcare to the health plan (I'm impressed by that, though still a little irked that they still don't cover birth control--but that might change since the Bartell's suit, ya never know) But we did add a medical savings plan this year, which helps some.

The company matches up to $1,000 per year on employees' 401K plans.

We also get a lot of "extras"--birthday brunches once a month, a pizza party once a year at the BEST pizza place in town, a yearly holiday party that gets better every year, company picnic, and they've recently taking to planning other special outings such as ballgames, trip to Leavenworth for Xmas shopping, etc.  Plus there is always FOOD around here for some reason or other--lunch seminars, donuts, employee meetings--it's hard to stay on a diet here!

There's one extra perk that's provided by our location--a wonderful waterfront view and a great place to go for a walk or sit outside for lunch too!  

[jadegrniiz]

Gosh, I just love my new job  



Here's the un-conventional bene. Our staff of about 100 is divided up into 4 "teams". Once a year, each team is given an all-expense paid weekend get-away for each employee + spouse, and the team takes off together.... leaving on a Thursday night, returning Sunday. Typically, the destination is the beach. This year, (they are going throughout this month) they chose my old hometown (you know, the one I just moved away from so abruptly! I'm homesick listening to em brag about their weekends!!!)



 

[goldenearring]

Jade - you *deserve* your great new job/glad to hear you love it.

Best Unusual Perk - As Xenon would say:  "Flexibility - major."  I have the privilege of working from home 1-3 days a week, depending on business needs and my schedule.  Other than that, nothing too outstanding except for exceptionally terrific people to work with.

[ssc1208]

Our company has so many benes there are too many to mention. In addition to the regular health/dental/vision:



- 16 paid days off per year to start (accrues, so you "earn" the time"

- Free lunch

- Free beverages (incl coffee, hot chocolate, and any kind of soda you could imagine)

- Free pastries/bagels in the morning

- Discounts with the firm travel agency

- Discounts and any number of places ranging from car dealerships to eBags.com

- 401(k) (this is special b/c there is no year waiting period to contribute, once you're old enough, you can put money in)

- Group Legal plan

- Overnight dependent care (if you have to go out of town unexpectadly, they will pay for your babysitting)

- Overnight pet care (similar to above)

- Stop smoking plan - they pay for whatever program you choose to stop smoking, 70% up front, and if you're still not smoking after a period of time, you get the rest of the money

- Wellness screening reimbursement

- Safe ride home - if you feel that you can not safely drive home, they will reimburse you for a cab, no questions asked

- Onsite dry cleaning drop-off



Ok, there's more, but I don't want anyone to go green with envy. It's a pretty nice company to work for. (And yes, we are looking for Admins)   I should add, we're a benefit and HR consulting firm, so it makes sense that we get all these cool things.  

[countrigal]

Too late ssc1208, I'm already green with envy.  Overnight pet care???  That would be awesome, especially when added into everything else you've listed.  I don't suppose your company needs admins in a Montgomery-located branch???    



Sitting here, trying to find benes....



CountriGal

[ssc1208]

Sorry, CountriGal, our closest offices are Atlanta, Orlando, and Tampa Bay. (I even pulled up the map and looked!)