What benefit do you wish your company offered?
Dental Care.
Although if I had it, I am not sure if I would use it. I am STILL trying to figure out how to use my health insurance. How sad is that? I am lucky enough to have it, but have no idea how to use it.
Hi! I’m Kim, a 40-something-year-old living in northeastern Illinois with my husband Steven, and our cats, Khaleesi, Apollo, Starbuck, and Eddard aka Ned. My current main hobbies are running, painting rocks, flying, reading, and eating. I follow a vegan lifestyle and am employed by the federal government. I write about a variety of topics and consider this a “life” blog – a place I can share anything that’s on my mind. Please visit the “About” page to get a better idea of who I am! 🙂
like you said, at least you have medical insurance!!! i wish my company offered a retirement plan, that would be ideal…
Well, since I’m a Contractor, I wish I had any benefits at all other than a spiffy salary! 😉
Just mo’ money.
You don’t get dental coverage?! That’s awful. I thought most employers nixed vision coverage before dental. I am SO LUCKY that I have all three. I need to get an eye exam because my prescription is over 2 yrs old. I agree though- understanding your benefits is really confusing.
I just wish mine would stop reducing benefits and quadrupling the cost. Seriously, we used to be 100% covered in network with a $10 copay not 5 years ago. Now, we have a $50 copay, we pay the first 200$ per person out of pocket (and the copay doesn’t count), and then after that we pay 20% of the TOTAL bill before the copay (the insurance counts the copay as part of their contribution.)
I think a spa day should be included in my plan, considering that they cost as much as a car per month even if no one is sick.
Do I sound bitter? I may need to go punch something.
CourtneyInControl – I wonder if a lot less companies are going to offer retirement plans now, after all the “problems with the economy.”
diane – I thought of you when I wrote this, and your struggle to find a health insurance plan. There are definitely perks and downfalls to every job!
Ryan – AMEN!!!
sizzle – I bet we don’t have vision either. Yeah, I am surprised about the dental. Maybe we don’t have it because there is only 15 employees? I am thinking about getting on Steven’s dental plan.
Kyra – Wow! 20%?!?! That seems incredibly high! You definitely deserve some pampering for dealing with all of that 😉
I wish my company offered reimbursement for belonging to a gym. Seriously. Shouldn’t healthier employees who are less of a strain on our medical insurance (and thus keep rates down for everyone else) be given incentive compensation to stay healthy?!
Other than matching some kind of retirement contribution (which is pretty much guaranteed cash in my pocket) I always thought paying for more education (with some release time) would be nice.
my current company is pretty amazing. i’ve had no vision, no dental, and no 401k matching at other places, but here i get vision AND dental, and some matching, and gym reimbursment. not bad 🙂
Paid vacation time for any hours over 40 that I can’t carry over to the next year. If we have more than 40, we lose them. Fortunately, I don’t have that problem this year. But my co-worker does and she’s pissed. I told her she needs to just take the time off now.
I don’t make tall coin, however, I have a family of 5 and my job has excellent benefits which is the only reason I’m here. I have full medical for all, kick ass dental (that we use), ortho care (I have 2 kids in braces now), vision care, retirement matching, and a plethora of other junk. However, like Kyra said, our co-pay went up last year and when it’s time for open enrollment every year, it seems like they are reducing coverage here and there, with more stipulations and prices are rising. This is not free mind you, I pay $400- per month out of my check for said coverage. Sounds outrageous? It’s totally worth it. It’s peace of mind while trying to raise 3 kids (4 if ya count the huz) in this day and age. I have had 2 major surgeries and never paid a single cent.
Also, we have an allowance of $5,000 per toward education. I have yet to take advantage of that (idiot!).
As for not knowing your benefits and what is covered right now for you and your huz- I was the same way until I had kids and then it felt like we lived at the doctor’s office- so I learned really quickly. You probably don’t go to the doctor enough yet. It’s super easy though. Seems a bit scary, but it’s very easy!
Oooh, correction, for education it’s $4,000 per year – my bad.
Nilsa – I have never heard of that! But when I read down further, I saw that Alice’s company DOES offer that. I think that is a great idea. I bet some people would argue it is unfair though – not everyone has time to go to the gym, etc.
Gary LaPointe – I think continuing education is very important – and you would think employers would too!
Alice – Can I come work with you? 😛 Just kidding 😉
martymankins – I would be upset too – but I probably would have used them. That is the problem with us Americans, even when we ARE given paid vacation, a lot of us don’t use it. Ugh.
javaqueen – I’ve been talking to a coworker of mine that has kids, and only am now learning how expensive the health care is! But, I understand that it is worth it, and that becomes VERY important when you are thinking about having children. I know that myself and my two younger siblings had braces – I wonder how much my parents had to pay out of pocket. Hmm.