In a job, what is more important

Salary or benefits? Would you take less pay for better benefits?

Message edited 5/21/2006 8:18:53 PM.

Re: In a job, what is more important

Honestly-- it really dpeends what the benefits are. Sometimes they are great- but they do not have as much monetary value as others-- such as health care.

If you are talking about 401Ks and vacation schedules-- then I think salary may win out-- unless vacay is sparse.

In terms of fringe benefits- if you really take advantae of them-- they could be very valuable.

Re: In a job, what is more important

To me the benefits are more important. I think people are more likely to go to the Dr. and get regular checkups if they had health insurance.
I had a cousin who had no coverage, so never went to the dr. and when she finally got coverage and went it was too late. 6 months later she passed away from cancer.


My paid vacations are also very important to me!

Re: In a job, what is more important

i think benefits

Re: In a job, what is more important

I think they are both important -- I would love to work some place with an awsome benefit package but I won't give up half my salary for it.

Posted by Shroggie

To me the benefits are more important. I think people are more likely to go to the Dr. and get regular checkups if they had health insurance.
I had a cousin who had no coverage, so never went to the dr. and when she finally got coverage and went it was too late. 6 months later she passed away from cancer.

Re: In a job, what is more important

I know people who earn more than I do but don't have dental and have dental bills running in the thousands. Having lived many years without insurance, it is a nice thing to have.

Re: In a job, what is more important

Well, you probably know what I chose. It wasn't just benefits for me, but quality of life. Before I started working for the state I was working on Wall Street, making an insane amount of money for a 21 year old straight out of college. But I was miserable. Now my job is very 9-5 (with the occasional night or weekend), and I can have a life outside of it. Anyway, the benefits are very, very good. I have over 30 vacation days banked, and the same with sick. I'm up to nearly 2 vacation and 2 sick a month, and since I rarely use them I am going to save them and extend my maternity leave when I have babies. Health/dental is excellent--yearly eye exams with free glasses or contacts, a low co-pay for prescriptions and doctor visits ($15). It's much better than my DH's plan (he works for a private company). My parents also work in our field in a public organization and found that the retirement plan is excellent...My mom retired at 61 with a great deal in retirement, and my dad is still working but his retirement has been great too.

I think it depends on your personality. I really value stability, which I definitely get in my job. They virtually cannot fire me. Not that I abuse that, but you know...I have friends who work independently/in positions where money is great one month (commission, etc) and not as good the next...

Message edited 5/21/2006 8:40:01 PM.

Re: In a job, what is more important

Benefits - definitely benefits. Dh has great heatlh benefits (thank you local #3!), but for me my benefits are flexibility in schedule & days off. I think most working moms would be in the same boat.

An executive recruiter called & asked me if I was interested in a job a few weeks ago. It was double my salary. It's uptown and I'm sure more hours. The few people I told about it thought I was crazy - since DH's salary doesn't change unless the union renegotiates. I'm the one that can earn more. The problem is no one could pay me enough to miss the bedtime stories. Maybe one day I'll regret it, but I doubt it.

Re: In a job, what is more important

For me- its salary since DH carries our benefits....

Re: In a job, what is more important

Re: In a job, what is more important

Benefits

Re: In a job, what is more important

Benefits.

Right now battling infertility this has been a blessing.
I am on the Gov't employee Empire plan with a 50K lifetime deductible for non routine or catastrophic care. when it comes to health problems 50K is nothing... if you have a heart attack you can blow through 50K of treatment. Right now we are about 10K into this battle and still no pregnancy and no baby. If we have to go IVF then we just might blow through that lifetime benefit but it is much better than paying out of pocket which is what so many couples must do. Of course, after that we will be paying cash but the first 50K really helps and hopefully we will get preggos with that. There are a few women on the infertility board that are more than 100K of their own money into their battle to have a baby.

Thank God my Dad had the benefits he had. When he had his stroke in 1998 his 11 day hospital bill was 21K He was in a rehab center for 4 months at 28K a month then he received rehab at home from three different therapists for 6 months at a cost of about 30K, and then outpatient rehab for another 9 months which was over 25K Over 250K in health benefits. I would have had to sell his house to save his life.
He was also entitled to FULL PAY for ONE YEAR while out sick. Thank God because I was able to pay off the house and put it in a trust so I wouldn't have to worry about him every losing it to help pay for medical bills.

Unfortunately, DH works for a very small company and his benefits s u c k. No employer 401K contribution and his health insurance benefits are nothing beyond basic.

Sure money is great but benefits are really important because you never know what life can throw at you.

Re: In a job, what is more important

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

Benefits.

Right now battling infertility this has been a blessing.
I am on the Gov't employee Empire plan with a 50K lifetime deductible for non routine or catastrophic care. when it comes to health problems 50K is nothing... if you have a heart attack you can blow through 50K of treatment. Right now we are about 10K into this battle and still no pregnancy and no baby. If we have to go IVF then we just might blow through that lifetime benefit but it is much better than paying out of pocket which is what so many couples must do. Of course, after that we will be paying cash but the first 50K really helps and hopefully we will get preggos with that. There are a few women on the infertility board that are more than 100K of their own money into their battle to have a baby.

Thank God my Dad had the benefits he had. When he had his stroke in 1998 his 11 day hospital bill was 21K He was in a rehab center for 4 months at 28K a month then he received rehab at home from three different therapists for 6 months at a cost of about 30K, and then outpatient rehab for another 9 months which was over 25K Over 250K in health benefits. I would have had to sell his house to save his life.
He was also entitled to FULL PAY for ONE YEAR while out sick. Thank God because I was able to pay off the house and put it in a trust so I wouldn't have to worry about him every losing it to help pay for medical bills.

Unfortunately, DH works for a very small company and his benefits s u c k. No employer 401K contribution and his health insurance benefits are nothing beyond basic.

Sure money is great but benefits are really important because you never know what life can throw at you.

Re: In a job, what is more important

I go back and forth with this. I have great benefits right now but the salary really stinks and I'm getting tired of it. I do okay for the field that I"m in but I've lately been thinking that I need to make more money. So, I guess I'm undecided but good benefits are definitely important.

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Re: In a job, what is more important

Re: In a job, what is more important

Re: In a job, what is more important

Re: In a job, what is more important

I wouldn't take less $$ for better benefits. It's all about the take home pay for me.

ETA: But this is because DH's job pays for 100% of his benefits.

Message edited 5/21/2006 11:38:39 PM.

Re: In a job, what is more important

Benefits as in insurance/401k only? Or benefits like that but also the fringe ones? I work at a lax company where you can where casual clothes all the time, when your hours are not watched like a hawk, where you can play on the internet once in a while, where you can schedule a doctors appointment during the day, where you can sometimes swing your shift to acount for something else going on in your life ect.
Well if you include all those little benefits...they are certainly more important to me than the $$$

Re: In a job, what is more important

It depends on what the benefits are, and if they're better than my DH's benefits.

Re: In a job, what is more important

now that I am married, salary!

if I got a job with crappy benefits, I can go on DH's plan.

Re: In a job, what is more important

Salary - when it comes time to leave, you'll have your previous salary to boost your anticipated salary.

Benefits - you can always go under your DH/SO's.

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Re: In a job, what is more important

I think to me - right now it's both


I don't think I would take a new job that didn't offer health benefits- unless the salary was big enough that I could pay for my own- right now Jake is still covered under COBRA from his last job and I cover both of us from my job- which is very reasonable

he is thinking of going back to his old company- long story- and I guess I then could be covered under his plan- but right now his COBRA payment is $400 a month

my 401K at my job now is good- but I also do one on my own