As you enter the workforce as a small business employee, it?s important for you to know what exactly you should expect to receive in terms of benefits. Once hired, you?ll likely receive a rather confusing informational packet detailing what you do and don?t receive; but you?ll only begin to understand what to expect after a good talk with a human resources representative. An HR rep ensures that employee benefits are properly managed and disbursed, but it?s still up to you to decide whether or not the benefits you?re being given are fair. For many, full time o part time employee benefits make or break whether or not they take a job.

Group Health Insurance Plans: What To Expect

To a small business employee, health insurance is one of the most important factors to consider when offered a job. In total, 99% of all full-time workers have access to medical benefits, so if you do work as a full-time employee you should definitely receive some level of health insurance. Many businesses use group health insurance plans. Group health insurance plans typically involved employers paying at least 50% of the employee?s monthly premium, while also contributing to dependent premiums. The rest is covered by employees. With 50% of employees indicating that benefits are big parts of why they?re staying with the current employers, group health plans are not something you shouldn?t play around with.

Paid Leave: Are You Being Cheated?

Unfortunately, many employees are lead to believe that they aren?t entitled to the paid leave that they can actually expect. In fact, among 98% of all full-time employees have access to paid sick leave, but not all of them take advantage of it. Of that number, 59% of small business give paid sick leave to their full-time employees. Don?t feel pressured, as an employee, to come to work when you?re sick and refuse to use your sick leave. By going to work sick, you may not only spread your illness but sicken yourself more. Of course, sick leave isn?t the only kind of paid leave available. Paid leave in general is the most common benefit provided to employees, with 77% of employees given access too paid holiday leave, and 77% provided with paid vacation time.

What About Unpaid Leave?

Of course, sometimes you need to take leave that is unpaid. You do have access for a certain amount; and the fact is that sometimes situations occur that are unavoidable. You shouldn?t lose your job over them. An act called the Family and Medical Leave Act ensures that you get the leave that you need without losing your job. It gives employees 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any given 12 month period for the following reasons: birth of a child; care of an immediate family member or spouse; or self-care for a serious medical condition.

Before taking a job, make sure that you?re getting what you need: security.