By Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Writer
If you're looking for or thinking about switching to part-time work, don't think that you have to give up benefits in exchange for more flexibility. More and more companies today are offering benefits to part-time employees in attempts to attract and retain harder-working, more-qualified workers.
Nationwide retailers like Target, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, Circuit City and IKEA are just a few examples of companies that offer their part-time employees healthcare options, 401(k) plans, paid vacation time, and/or discounts on merchandise. In many cases, part-time workers still may need to work a minimum number of hours per week and put in a certain number of hours of work in order to qualify for any type of benefits package; however, once they do, the benefits they receive are often well worth the effort.
Below are even more companies whose qualified part-time workers can take advantage of a slew of benefits and company perks that are no longer reserved only for the full-time crew.
In addition to a benefits package that includes medical insurance, a retirement package and stock options, each "partner" who works 20 or more hours per week at the Seattle-based coffee chain receives a pound of free coffee each week.
Not only are team members eligible for paid training, paid time off, health insurance, retirement savings and a discount to the natural foods store, they also get to vote every three years on which benefits the company should offer.
All REI employees have access to flexible scheduling, gear discounts and free rentals, tuition reimbursement, a performance-based incentive program and gear grants to support any outdoor adventure challenges they may participate in.
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Search by Company | Search by IndustryThe bookstore chain offers part-time workers a significant discount on store merchandise in addition to a healthcare plan and a 401(k).
Nordstrom employees' benefits fall into one of three categories: work/life balance, savings and protection. Benefits such as paid time off and bereavement leave fall under work/life balance; a merchandise discount, 401(k) plan and profit sharing are part of savings; and short- and long-term disability and life insurance are among its protection benefits.
Lowe's offers part-timers the opportunity to participate in a limited benefit health plan, a dental plan, term life insurance and short-term disability. A year of employment qualifies workers for 40 hours of paid vacation time, which increases with their length of service.
In addition to healthcare and retirement plans, merchandise discounts and paid time off, Lands' End offers its employees access to a company-owned recreation center, discount tickets to theme parks and movie theatres, and an invitation to the annual company picnic. Bonus: UW-Platteville students get to take advantage of a complementary busing system to help them get to the company's Dodgeville facility.
Part-time employees who work between 20 and 30 hours per week can qualify for health coverage the first day of the calendar year following a year of employment. Other benefits available include a matching gifts program for charitable donations, discounts at employee stores, discounts on auto and homeowners insurance, and scholarships for employee children.
In addition to medical coverage, life insurance and a 401(k), the retail chain's benefit package for eligible part-time employees includes flexible spending, vacation and floating holidays.
JCPenney invites associates who work less than 35 hours per week to participate in a dependent care spending account, medical, dental, vision and term life coverage, and paid time off, as well as a discount on merchandise.
If retail's not your bag, look into opportunities at organizations like banks, universities or hospitals, where it's not unusual for part-time employees to receive various benefits. These days, you can have your 401(k) and part-time status, too.
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Feb 12th 2009 @ 11:17AM Becky
Staples, the office supply store, also offers very good health insurance for part-timers.
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Feb 12th 2009 @ 11:33AM frank
the supermarket publix offers benifits to part timers
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Feb 12th 2009 @ 2:53PM Val
Wells Fargo offers amazing benefits for part time team members (minimum 20 hours). They are offered all the benefits of full time employees, including health/dental/vision insurance, 401K with employer matching fund up to 6% of salary, tuition reimbursement up to $5k per year, 20 days PTO, etc. It's not an easy job and not for anyone afraid of sales, but for the right person, it can be lucrative.
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Feb 13th 2009 @ 6:57PM Amax
I work part-time as an independent contractor for 3 different non-profit organizations. I am very happy and good at all of my jobs. However, I have no health insurance and as a single parent, I can't afford to continue this way. I'm hoping Obama will come up with something I can afford--but in the meantime, I'm loooking for other jobs.
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Feb 16th 2009 @ 6:08PM rocketmouse
Where *is* the article mentioned in
"Next: Part-Time Jobs You Can Do From Home"? The link opens in "http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2008/12/22/10-part-time-jobs-you-can-do-from-home/" in my browser, but that page only gives me blank space and advertisements.
[I'm using Firefox 3.0.6 on a MacBook with OSX 10.5.6 (Leopard)]
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Feb 16th 2009 @ 6:10PM rocketmouse
Where *is* the article mentioned in
"Next: Part-Time Jobs You Can Do From Home"? The link opens in
"http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2008/12/22/10-part-time-jobs-you-can-do-from-home/"
in my browser, but that page only gives me blank space and
advertisements.
[I'm using Firefox 3.0.6 on a MacBook with OSX 10.5.6 (Leopard)]
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Feb 18th 2009 @ 3:24PM Danita
There is no better benefit that you can give yourself than to work for yourself! Why not enjoy what you do? Meet great people doing the same thing. Travel cheap! Help others do the same and have a thriving business! Be determined that this year will be different than last year! Check it out! http://www.danita.mydfilive.com
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Feb 25th 2009 @ 2:44AM Ken
I'm sure that these shitty health care programs may offer some relief to some but to a majority of us it's a load of crap. I used to work for both Trader Joe's and REI and know first hand what a load of bull it all is! As for corporate TJ's not a terrible job while you're looking but it's still groceries and the health care offered offers minimum coverage and not much discount compared to what you might get at a clinic. My advice? ER room in a wealthy suburb. The illegal population has been savvy enough to figure this one out how about you? The cost to ER's are minimal but I suggest going only when you really need to. Clinics can be good but often the wait can be days. Health care is generally a product of corp greed, my family members have toiled their lives away in it with the best of the best care but to pay a huge amount of their salary toward it while the hospitals build parking lots and lay-off dozens. Also, there's those temp 6month plans that are also somewhat useless unless you get a major health problem but working for a Co. such as TJ's and others that have little to no ethics? they refuse to let anyone(excpet salaried managers) work over 35hours so they don't need to offer benefits yet all that sodium & preservative ridden food they swindle as healthy?, hypocrites.
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Mar 2nd 2009 @ 9:48AM Dee
I work part-time for a wonderful company. I'm lucky that I love my job and I get paid pretty well. However, their health insurance for part-timers is a joke. It's a mini-medical plan that has a cap at $10,000 or $20,000 depending on your preference and the amount you pay. There is a limit on how many doctors visits you can have per year, as well as the number of prescriptions (both are lower than what a person with anything other than stellar health would use). It is also very expensive for the coverage that you get. We have chosen not to participate because when you figure out the money spent per month, as well as the money that you would be spending for those extra visits, extra prescriptions, it's just NOT worth it. And if you are in need of any surgery or anything more serious than a minor infection, your coverage will cap out and you will be responsible for the entire bill.
So be careful.... these companies that offer part-time benefits may just be offering a pipedream. It's not necessarily better to have insurance if it won't help you when you need it the most.
We need major reform and we need it NOW!
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Apr 1st 2009 @ 8:23PM Donna A
Hi
I agree we need major health care reform and I don't know if that will truly happen in the Obama Administration, but I am hoping it will. I have been working a security job in NJ for over 1 year, they offer a limited health plan, and very limited coverage for in hospital procedures. My boss who is getting paid much more than me as a security supervisor, also like myself pays for his own medical coverage. I can't continue like this either, with my Mom footing the bill for my health coverage. I am single and I have physical limitations, double tennis elbow injury, carpal and Fibromyalgia. I couldn't live on disability if I tried either since I am single, so I have to give up living alone and move in with Mom, thank God she is still alive, but I do worry about how I am going to pay for good health care in the future.
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