Offered a fantastic job but the benefits are lacking.

12 Comments

1. KellyJune 29,2023 at 2:10AM UTC

   Well, of course, the main thing is is how healthy is your family at the moment and how healthy are they likely to be in the future?

   A lot of companies are starting to do this kind of stuff which isn’t good.

   I was a freelancer in my early 20s for a while and I can tell you that even back then being self insured can be expensive.

   Maybe spend some time in the next day or so making some calls to local insurance agencies that offer health care and see what the rates would be for your family.

   Also, keep in mind that accidents and surprises happen so if the insurance doesn’t cover that and you have children, unless I’m getting paid a significant amount more, I would be careful about switching jobs.

2. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJune 29,2023 at 2:27AM UTC

   I'll assume you're in the US - my recommendation would be for you to go onto the Exchange website for your state and start checking out what it would look like for you to get coverage. Then you'll have a better idea of what you'd be looking at cost-wise.

3. AnonymousJune 29,2023 at 3:30AM UTC

   It all rests in the math.
   You'll either make more than enough to take on the expense of coverage for your family and have enough left over that a job you love is icing or you won't.

   If your package isn't compelling enough then sit tight and wait for another offer from another company.

   There are great situations out there. They are just a little harder to come by these days. Hang in there.

4. AnonymousJune 29,2023 at 9:45PM UTC

   oh yeah the HSA might put you under when it comes to funds. My sister is paying medical bills above what her HSA has in it. Find a company that has all the benefits and perks you deserve.

5. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachJuly 1,2023 at 2:27PM UTC

   Sounds like you’ve got unbeatable benefits. It depends on the money involved and your risk tolerance of giving up such an amazing health benefit. Find out what a policy would cost you- my random guess is at least $2500 per month for a family.

6. Cheryl NeasJuly 1,2023 at 3:02PM UTC

   I don’t know whether that’s worth it on its own, only you can answer. A lot of insurance companies have worksheets that help you compare plans and what you would spend based on your personal health circumstances.

   I just want to point out that this kind of thing is why asking a candidate to give a salary number upfront is not really going to tell you if you’re in the same ballpark. People need to know what the TOTAL compensation looks like to be able to make decisions, and salary is only one component of that. And since candidates can’t really negotiate the healthcare package, hiring companies should be transparent about all of it from the first conversation.

7. AnonymousJuly 1,2023 at 3:28PM UTC

   If you don't think the benefits are up to par at the new position and they're not paying you enough extra in salary to make up for it, then you have your answer.

8. AnonymousJuly 1,2023 at 5:24PM UTC

   Do a SWOT analysis of each job and you should have your answer.

9. AnonymousJuly 1,2023 at 8:34PM UTC

   Build a budget, unless the costs or the job content and career growth weigh out over where you are now consider not moving.

10. Mary PoolJuly 2,2023 at 1:38PM UTC

    I will tell you what I tell my kids, "Benefits are Everything!" You never know what tomorrow will bring and it only takes one incident to wipeout years of "increased" salary. Also, insurance is going up at an astronomical rate. Even if the numbers work today, will they next year? What do the two approaches tell you about how the companies feel out their employees and/or their financial status (are they a healthy company)?

11. KellyJuly 2,2023 at 7:44PM UTC

    This IS true! I left a company that had great insurance for another that had the exact same insurance, but changed two days after I started. My yearly out-of-pocket cost before was about $400, with the new company and new insurance it’s closer to $3200. ??‍♀️

12. AnonymousJuly 5,2023 at 1:25PM UTC

    Average benefits cost around 40% of base pay.