Would you accept a job with bad benefits?

Anonymous

February 18,2023 at 8:49PM UTC

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Would you accept a job with bad benefits?

I posted earlier on about a job offer I was evaluating, and trying to understand how the equity compensation worked. I'd like to know if this is something I'm over indexing on or whether I can let it pass:

The benefits package is rather poor. I'm outside the US and I have asked my network about what the benefits are like here, as I've not worked in my home country for a while (I was in the US till recently and then moved back. The PTO is categorised as: Vacation leave, sick leave and casual leave (for an unplanned day off) and flexible PTO. Now this does sound compelling, until I discovered some fine print in the benefits booklet, which states that at any given point of time - only 2 sick days can be availed, and only 3 casual days can be availed. The total number of sick and casual leave is 12 days. These expire at the end of the year.

Furthermore, they also state that an employee must use their vacation days if they want to take a long weekend, like a public holiday. Vacation days are accrued at the rate of 1.5 days/month - so totalling about 18 days till the end of the year. This can be carried forward by 45 days.

Now what I find rather sly about this policy is that they block you from using up all your sick days (granted, you don't want to exploit it) but they say that you need to avail vacation days if you want to extend your sick leave. And the flexible PTO can only be availed once your sick leave, casual leave and vacation days are done. They don't mention anything about cashing out unused flex time PTO.

While there have been some red flags in other aspects of the job (more like yellow flags), this one seems very restrictive. So, would you accept a job with poor benefits? I've been unemployed for some time, and while it is tempting to take this offer....I don't think the culture seems quite right.

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AnonymousFebruary 18,2023 at 9:04PM UTC
Just given the overall lack of transparency of the company with compensation and benefits I would take a hard pass. This is not how I like to do business.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 18,2023 at 11:42PM UTC
This is at least the third post you have put up about reservations you have about this company. Please pay attention to these red flags.
Time off is not such an issue for me personally - I really don't take much time off. More important to me is the medical benefits - what do those look like? Two seconds can change your life and then those benefits go to the top of the list of importance. Plus their dollar impact on you can be waaay more than time off.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 5:55AM UTC
Thanks Joan. Yes, this group has helped me gain perspective - it can be easy to look at the bright side when this is the only job offer one has. But with more questions I have coming up, it seems like this really might not be the right fit for me. I also dont take much time off, but the policies overall seem to indicate a hustle culture.
The reason I am conflicted is that their US team seems to have folks who have been there a few years. Turnover in general seems to be lower, so I don't know if their offshore team is this way.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 19,2023 at 7:55AM UTC
Good luck with your decision! I know it's not easy. If you're up against it, you can always accept the position and keep looking as long as you don't sign a restrictive non-compete.
Sophia L.February 19,2023 at 12:05AM UTC
If your gut is saying “nope,” then it might not be a great fit. I really, really value the benefits of any workplace. I have sacrificed some in place of others and I have almost always negotiated more PTO. Good luck!
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 5:14PM UTC
I did index on the PTO because it was rather strange. But what I’m trying to suss is whether the company as a whole thinks of employees as people with lives outside of work rather than commit to the company the whole time. The PTO is just one example of it.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 1:56PM UTC
You seem, in my opinion, overly concerned with taking tike off. Personally I am not that concerned with that benefit, if the pay is good, and medical benefits are decent, I’m happy. And in my experience the PTO and sick days you describe are well within the norm. That said, since time off is important to you, and you don’t feel this job offers enough, it would probably not be a great fit for you or the employer.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 6:24PM UTC
I don’t see any harm with taking time off. Not taking time off is a recipe for burnout.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 5:27PM UTC
I understand that the US has less PTO (especially vacation) offered than any other country as part of their benefits. This sounds generous by US standards, but how is it in the country you will be working? Are you working onsite as an American ex-pat or remotely for a foreign country in the US (I'm sorry, but it was not clear to me)? Understanding your nationality and where you will be working will make it easier to answer your concerns.
It sounds like you have enough flags of various colors about this company and are exerting a significant amount of energy you could be using to find something that fits you better.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 5:45PM UTC
Appreciate the bucket of cold water :)! I think it’s just that I’ve been looking for a long time that makes me inclined to chase every angle to see if it works. I wouldn’t consider this opportunity if I had competing offers or was already in a job. I’m awaiting interviews at other places but this one will require me to make a decision soon.
I’ll be working in my home country, not as an expat in the US.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 6:11PM UTC
Since you will be working in the US, this is pretty standard, if not generous. Make sure that the package includes health insurance coverage since the US is the only country where that is a required benefit or that the compensation is enough that you can afford insurance through the healthcare marketplace or privately (if your salary is higher than what the marketplace accepts). Life insurance, long and short-term disability, vision, and dental would be obvious pluses that are not considered in other countries.
Side note: Most companies I had worked for made different delineations between sick and vacation, where vacation could be used for an illness ONLY when sick time ran out, and then you would have to go on short-term disability. Otherwise, vacation had to be approved in advance. Some had "personal" days (sounds like your company's flex-PTO) that could be used for mental health breaks, doctor's appointments, and dealing with sick family members.
AnonymousFebruary 19,2023 at 6:26PM UTC
I will not be working in US, I will be in another country. Some talking with my network and research tells me they’re offering the bare minimum by way of benefits.
Stephanie Malcom, MBAFebruary 20,2023 at 2:40PM UTC
No
AnonymousFebruary 20,2023 at 8:19PM UTC
I would negotiate for more, and if they're not amenable, then no. In my experience, if you do not get what you want upfront in terms of salary, flexibility, PTO and accommodations, YOU WILL NEVER GET IT.