Your best W*rk related PERKS!

[SumDay]

1. I got to work part-time when my kids were little
2. I got a promotion later on and telecommuted the last decade
3. We got a group rate on pet insurance
4. Cheap dental, vision and medical. Boy, I'm going to miss the first two. We do have retiree medical.
5. A pension, which I will begin drawing after 8/31/18.


There are lots more but since I only have 6 weeks left, I'm focusing on what's ahead instead of what I had there.

 

[travelover]

I got a free cell phone so my boss could call me at all hours including the weekend.

 

[iloveyoga]

HaloFIRE is driving but would like to contribute:
-all expenses paid long trips to areas enjoying war

-complimentary unscheduled urinalysis

-free helo rides

-free parachuting. In fact they paid ME to jump

-daily dedicated time for fitness

Satire aside, the opportunity to serve was the best "perk"

Thank you for your service.

 

[iloveyoga]

On site wellness center, including yoga at lunchtime on site. I think this helped me to work several years longer than I would have otherwise.

 

[atmsmshr]

Perks
working on a barrier island in eastern Florida 32+ years
Having an office with a view of the ocean 13+ years
Not having to travel if I don't want to
working for a mega that has always been profitable
company stock price that beats S&P500 every year
A well run 401k program and a years past ESOP
Ok retirement pension - but it is way over funded
every other Friday off
Best perk - good hardworking team onsite
RIFs carry a 1 year salary severance

Benies
On site gym
On site medical center
Medical pension (no longer offered but I am grandfathered)
good medical insurance
Paid tuition for MBA
Ongoing work training (technical and leadership)
5 weeks vacation
Good salary, bonus and retention pay

 

[Rambler]

Unlimited travel

All the food and drink imaginable

Bottomless expense account

Yearly trip hosted by my broker to Mexico or the Caribbean

Awesome deferred comp program

Generous bonus opportunities

Yet there was a downside to all of that that would have spelled heart attack at some point.

I can relate very closely to this, as well as many of the other comments...but especially “Yet there was a downside to all of that that would have spelled heart attack at some point.” That’s one of the reasons I pulled the ripcord when I did...I could almost see something like it the horizon.

 

[Hermit]

I got a $50 "Spot Award" once!

I stayed at work all night and finished up an important proposal document. I'm not too sure it was worth it....

 

[HI Bill]

I'm a consultant...so, not many, but here goes:

1) Cell phone monthly bill (so the client can reach me)
2) Airline miles on work trips
3) Bicycle commuter benefit ($20/mo)
4) Monthly bus pass (~$60 value)
5) Nespresso drinks
6) Free lunches at lunch meetings where I give up my time
7) 2 annual parties (just went to the waterslides)
8) 401(k) match
9) ESPP purchase opportunity
10) $3000 bonus for professional registration

Not sure all of those are perks, but it's the list.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Unlimited expense account,nicely furnished office on the 25th floor with a view of Park Ave. Town car service, delivered breakfast,Private lunch clubs,Liquid lunches most days, Weekly business class travel from NYC to LA/SF/DEN/CHI. Helicopter service between Manhattan and airports. Boondoggle Ski trips to Vail/White water rafting/Tijuana/Elvis home in Tupelo/Gambling trips to Vegas and AC. Frequent "dips" in the secretarial pool!

 

[ownyourfuture]

This is obviously a little bit tongue in cheek, but true.
ZERO perks. No sick days, no personal days, & an absolutely draconian attendance policy........but..........a very generous defined benefit pension plan, which is now rare in the private sector.

 

[CoolRich59]

Not too many at my megacorp jobs.

One non-company provided perk I had was having a fried who worked in Reservations for American Airlines. I traveled a lot domestically and she told me to call her whenever I would be traveling. Invariably, I would get to the airport and learn that I had been upgraded to 1st class. That was nice.

Not really a perk, but I had a great manager who thought I would make a good lawyer. She talked me into applying to law school and, incredibly, talked the president of our division into having the company pay for my tuition (and with no strings attached).

 

[CoolRich59]

Thank you for your service HaloFIRE, Walt34, Dash man, and Red Badger. My apologies if I missed anyone.

 

[CoolRich59]

-Free food for all employees WW.

Apologize for the thread drift, but this reminded me of the software company I spent a few years at. When they started out they did a lot of this stuff too (and it is intended to keep people in the office and/or available 24/7).

One of their "signature" things was a spread of bagels and cream cheese every morning. As they grew, satellite offices did not have the whole list of these perks, but every office had the bagels.

Right after I started, they did away with the bagels to save $$. I was amazed to find out a number of people quit in protest. Seriously. People quit their job because the company stopped providing free bagels!

 

[ocean view]

Saw this story on this morning’s news about free food at a new Facebook office building. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.me...acebook-no-free-lunches-for-your-workers/amp/

The new building is in Mountain View, a few miles from HQ in Menlo Park. Apparently, one of the city’s conditions was no free food as there are many eateries in the area who would suffer.

 

[CaptMarc]

As a Fed LEO employee, Uncle Sam eventually allowed us to keep and use frequent flyer miles! I flew a lot, so often got upgrades and vacation flights....

As a retiree, I eventually went back to w--K at a private High School. Not a teacher, I run the Waterfront! Every Student takes Canoeing , kayaking and sailing as a PE Class. I run/maintain the safety boat and other boats!!!

When i signed up for the 403 Plan, I was told: "If you invest 5%, we add 10%"
I was confused, thinking it was backwards... the HR Director ensured me, "No we contribute more than you, I was surprised when I started here!"

I am also able to contribute up to the allowed amount. Just adding a little cushion to the IRA I rolled over from the TSP..

I also get winter and spring breaks, Christian and Jewish Holidays and vacation time!!!

Marc

 

[exnavynuke]

Get to keep miles for traveling, currently well over 1 million with IHG, not much on airlines though since I rarely fly.

Nice vacation day package (30 days PTO plus 11 corporate paid holidays).

Decent medical premiums (work covers ~85% of the premiums for a pretty good BCBS plan).

Get OT paid on top of salary.

Can work OT from home.

Up to $1,300/year employer contributions to the HSA and up to 4.5% of my salary matched in the 401k. Not amazing, but better than a lot of people get.

Free on-site gym.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

When in the AF, I would most definitely say the travel. Prior to 9/11, the tax payers sent me on some incredibly awesome trips. There was more than a few occasions where I really couldn't believe that I got to go where I did. Usually the other crew members were fun to hang out with, too...so that was a bonus. And of course, the tax free per diem wasn't a bad deal, either. We called the C-5 Galaxy airplane the "Per Diem Machine" for a very good reason.

I think this is the main reason that I am not a big traveler now, I am pretty content to staying around the house these days.

 

[ScaredtoQuit]

Free lunch once a year at Christmas time!

 

[Jeffman52]

Free glasses of my choice each and every year. Sunglasses or Opthalmic. The whole works, transitions, anti-glare, anti-scratch, etc etc etc....

Being able to work from home as long as I dont abuse it and try to do it too often. So if I need to be there because a repairman was coming at 11AM, I can WFH rather than needing to use my time off for such things.

 

[brett]

Sales achievement trips for my wife and I. In country once a year for a resort style weekend. Sales achievement award trips for DW and I to luxury domestic and international locations.

A DB pension plan that I dd not have to contribute a dime to. Great health and dental benefits. Company automobile. Almost forgot.....stock options that enabled us to FIRE without any financial concerns.

 

[GlennN]

HaloFIRE is driving but would like to contribute:
-all expenses paid long trips to areas enjoying war

-complimentary unscheduled urinalysis

-free helo rides

-free parachuting. In fact they paid ME to jump

-daily dedicated time for fitness

Satire aside, the opportunity to serve was the best "perk"

Love that response! I had the "pleasure" to receive some of those kinds of perks too. Ditto on the opportunity to serve.

 

[chicamuxen]

Started out with profit sharing plan, then we became a ESOP company. Stock did very well over the years. That, along with company 401K, helped me to FIRE.

 

[namesbond]

I have worked at a movie theatre since I was 16 and have continued to work Saturdays during my career. So I have seen a lot of free movies!

 

[sverbroekken]

So I'm a bit late to this party, but had some great perks. I used to work for NBC Universal about 10 years ago in LA for about 3 years total:

- Office on the Universal Studios Lot
- Summer hours (half day Fridays from Memorial day to Labor day)
- Went to the Grammys in the NBCU suite (+ after party)
- Went to numerous movie premieres. Walked red carpet. Went to after parties. Got to meet some stars (Jennifer Aniston was the best)
- Tickets to NBCU shows like the Tonight Show with Jay Leno (yeah, this is a while ago) are available to employees.
- Back entrance (free) to the theme park so you could go do rides any day, anytime if you could get away from the desk for a little while. Very good for those Friday afternoons during summer hours.

I still remember this time fondly, and it's still the best place I have worked in my career.

 

[kcowan]

Sales achievement trips for my wife and I. In country once a year for a resort style weekend. Sales achievement award trips for DW and I to luxury domestic and international locations.

A DB pension plan that I dd not have to contribute a dime to. Great health and dental benefits. Company automobile. Almost forgot.....stock options that enabled us to FIRE without any financial concerns.

Yes we got to Hawaii. Laguna Nigel and many Caribbean places courtesy of Megacorp. Also ski trips.

Yes stock options and DB pension and health plan were nice bonuses. Much more lasting affects than the other perks.