Perks (programmers and lawyers not allowed)

[Hanzii]

Because this:
3 hour work weeks.
Every other day is a vacation.
Cheap health care (relatively)
Free water
$1,500 sign on bonus

Yeah, my job is to video tape an 1 1/2 hour lecture. Its easy, and it gets me work study.

Made EpicBoy really annoyed.

And this:
It's too bad Tom frowns on me-too threads. I could rock it with 'unemployed perks'.

Unemployed perks

I have lots of free time in which to look at jobs I can't get. I've beaten so many video games! I've written four short stories. Every day I try to come up with the best way to commit insurance fraud so I can finally just go ahead and kill myself at no cost to my family. I'm getting a lot of reading done!

Oh, the perks!
is not about lawyers.

I made this thread for the rest of us.
I'll post my perks if anybody cares (me being a damn dirty foreigner and all).
From the other threads I'm allready learning that the pay and the perks would have to be pretty great for me to want that instead of my 37½ hour workweek, unlimited sickdays and 7+ weeks of vacation.

But I am interested in the US perks and wages, and I'm never going to work as either a lawyer or a programmer, so do post (especially you media people).

[shift6]

I have large amounts of job satisfaction. I like coming to work each day.

[Hanzii]

I have large amounts of job satisfaction. I like coming to work each day.

If it can't be measured, it doesn't count.


But yeah, I know what you mean. I switched jobs after 8 months and accepted a pay cut (and fewer perks) because I realized I used to be happy at work and wasn't anymore.

[Bad Neighbor]

I am surrounded by people just as bitter as I am. There is no shortage of bitching.

That's the closest thing I have to a job perk.

[Mike O'Malley]

Now I want to see a Bahimiron-Gordon Cameron debate.

[delirium]

No specific perks, but I work from home and I really have very little responsibility. I can usually get my work done in 2-4 hours and then the rest of the day I can pretty much do whatever. I'm also living in mountain time working on east coast hours, so I'm officially done at 3 every day. The downside is it does get lonely sometimes.

[snowcrash22]

-3 weeks vacation
-9 holidays
-free fruit, bagels and doughnuts on Fridays
-birthday cake once a month
-Occasional team building contests such as bowling, best themed Halloween decoration, Silver Sabotage (pre Thanksgiving charity)
-And if office management gets there hands on something neat, like an ipod shuffle, a couple times a year there are trivia contests for those.

-For my team, I take everyone out to lunch everytime we get a new employee in the group. It's a well received gesture and a additional personal incentive to keep turnover low.

[tromik]

All-you-can-eat office-treat buffet once a week.
I get three to five weeks at Christmas off, and I get two months of summer off - I go on the dole during the summer.
Decent hours - I like to sleep in so I usually work a noon to eight shift, sometimes a bit later.
When it's not busy, I get to read, do homework, and play DS games. In an average eight hour shift, I'll maybe work a total of six hours.

[Hanzii]

I just realized the drawback to this thread.
In the two other threads you know what people do, more or less, and you have at least a rough idea what their pay is... but here?
Long summer holidays sound wonderfull... the dole, not so much. What do you do?

[tromik]

I just realized the drawback to this thread.
In the two other threads you know what people do, more or less, and you have at least a rough idea what their pay is... but here?
Long summer holidays sound wonderfull... the dole, not so much. What do you do?
It's call centre and database stuff, but we're tied to the elemenary school systems, which is why I get Christmas and summer off. I'm a part-time student, though, so I go to school full time in summer.

[Demon G Sides]

Yeah, i'm in school too *See first post*

[mono]

I'm the IT 'Director' (made up title) at a mid-sized NYC business.

-3 weeks paid vacation
-6 sick/personal days
-14 vacation days
-Free bagel/muffin/yogurt breakfast on Thursdays
-Annual company trip over the long MLK holiday weekend to various all-inclusive island resorts with NO teambuilding required. You can just chill out for a few days and ditch your co-workers if you prefer.
-If you're at work after 7:30pm they usually comp ordering dinner.
-They pay my cell phone (iPhone!) bill. Since I'm on a shared minutes family plan w/ the wife, my boss told me it was just easier to pay the whole thing than to worry about calculating the minutes.
-Medical
-401K, although matching went from 50% to practically nothing a number of years ago during the last recession.

I also work Mon-Thurs only (although I'm essentially on call 7 days a week) as a holdover from my days as a consultant. I still do the occasional freelance for small-biz clients on Fridays, but more often than not just watch the 2 year old and give my wife a break.

The office also has a couple flat screen TV's where stuff like the NCAA tournament is often playing, a beer keg by the kitchen (after hours only) and they hold industry parties once a month with full on catering, wine, etc. I tend to skip these though, to get home early enough to put my son to bed.

[Equis]

I like my work. The perks are a bonus. I could get paid more but we're still a nascent indie studio trying to make things work for ourselves.

Perks:

Work when I want, how I want. Only have to pay attention to production deadlines.
No dress code.
Corner Office
Unlimited Sick Days + Socialist government healthcare system.
Company contributes to our equivalent of a 401(k) : though the governmental fund management is a dubious
Creative Inspiration time, which is really my excuse to lock myself up in a room and watch cartoons all day.
Stocked Pantry full of Ramen, Tea, and snacks.

[Sol Invictus]

It's not unemployment, it's funemployment!

Perks:
Free water, coffee, Japanese or Chinese tea, biscuits. We had a fridge fully stocked with Cola and Red Bull but the office went through that in no time.
Occasional drinks or lunch or dinner with one of the bosses
Occasional weekend getaways with one of the bosses
Free health care (huge choice of clinics)
Free dental (no cosmetics though)
Games room with Rock Band, PS3, 360
Gaming Mondays / Fridays
14 days paid vacation
Unlimited sick days / half-days dependent on doctor's leave.
No dress code except for Mondays - gotta wear company polo shirt.
I kind of run my own department, so I can do whatever I want as long as I get things done.

Cons:
Some people seriously annoy the shit out of me.

[VictoriaWong]

Scholarship student, generalized administration errand runner:
Pros:
Paid education
Lots of free food; usually pizza or sweets, occasionally nice stuff like crabcakes.
Lots of contacts for when I eventually leave
Getting to work with prototypes for microscopes (light, fluorescent, EM)
Random free stuff
Self-imposed dress code (as long as I stick to suits, they won't tell me I can only wear suits)
Only have to be out of my room for 5 hours a day
School isn't in session from August 4th to August 26th, also have two weeks in winter and one week in spring off (do work anyway)
Lots of friends have consoles, so if I had time, I could game with them
Health insurance paid for
Save 15% on phone plan

Cons:
Am either in class or studying from 9 AM to 3 AM most days
Forget to eat a lot
have to work as an admissions slave and lab slave
Have to go to nearly all department seminars
Have to put up with creepy professors and creepy staff members
Have to remember everything
Lots and lots of stress
Social life pretty minimal

[Siren]

Perks:
Insane job security - I am essentially an administrative assistant, and I am incredibly good at what I do (no modesty on that). Half the time, I have done everything that I need to get done by 10:30-11am after coming in at 9:30am. I also was just given a 3% raise, after only being with the company for 2 months when increases were submitted. They don't want me going anywhere.

Decent health insurance - Minimal copays, and it's around $200 a month for the PPO. Dental is pretty good too.

Free classes - I can take any of the group classes that are being offered for free, I just have to pay for the materials (books, etc).

Google trips - I am at Google in Mountain View once every couple of months or so, for at least 2-3 days. And then I have perk envy. But I get to take advantage of the free lunch!

Water, coffee, tea, cookies, and I work in the Financial District of San Francisco. Two weeks paid vacation, various holidays off, 1 personal day, and 4 sick days. I work with an awesome team of people, and there is absolutely NO animosity in the work place. That, in and of itself, is incredibly refreshing.

[Mordrak]

Have to put up with creepy professors and creepy staff members


Unrelated to the title, there are many times I've been glad I'm male. I knew someone that had this really old professor basically fall in love with her. He got a star named after her. Yeah, awwwwwkward.

[tiohn]

I am also a student. An old student. Aside from the stress, the only real downside is that I only make $400 a month, but I also only "work" five hours a week as a lecture assistant, meaning that I answer retarded questions for stupid people. Most of that time is spent finding typos in Maple code for students who are too lazy to do their reading, etc. The rest of the time, I'm in class or studying.

So:
Perks:
Extremely flexible hours
Lots o' learnin'
No dress code

Softies:
Broke
No insurance
No real benefits to speak of. I pretty much spend my income on parking.

[VictoriaWong]

Unrelated tot he titled, there are many times I've been glad I'm male. I knew someone that had this really old professor basically fall in love with her. He got a star named after her. Yeah, awwwwwkward.
Nothing that bad, but I've had a creepy professor keep trying to grab my hand during office hours (he actually basically sat on a guy's lap, too... in addition to lots of other strange things, like taking off his shirt in class). Also, the president of the alumni association kissed me on the cheek, and I couldn't avoid it because I was standing in a crowd of Deans. (note: I hate even being touched.)
Another perk of being a born loser: you get fame on the internet. Or at least, QuarterToThree. Or something.

[Mordrak]

Nothing that bad, but I've had a creepy professor keep trying to grab my hand during office hours (he actually basically sat on a guy's lap, too... in addition to lots of other strange things, like taking off his shirt in class). Also, the president of the alumni association kissed me on the cheek, and I couldn't avoid it because I was standing in a crowd of Deans. (note: I hate even being touched.)
Another perk of being a born loser: you get fame on the internet. Or at least, QuarterToThree. Or something.

And typing mistakes that get enshrined in quotes for eternity. There's that too.

You should increase your static charge whenever you're around them. That would hopefully send the appropriate signal if they try to get personal.

[Mike O'Malley]

Nothing that bad, but I've had a creepy professor keep trying to grab my hand during office hours (he actually basically sat on a guy's lap, too... in addition to lots of other strange things, like taking off his shirt in class). Also, the president of the alumni association kissed me on the cheek, and I couldn't avoid it because I was standing in a crowd of Deans. (note: I hate even being touched.)
Another perk of being a born loser: you get fame on the internet. Or at least, QuarterToThree. Or something.

Jeebus. A professor sat on laps and took his shirt off?

[Joe O'Malley]

Jeebus. A professor sat on laps and took his shirt off?

It was professor Bruce Banner. He was angry.

[skedastic]

Perks:

* Cannot be fired. Short of committing a felony on campus. Even then it's kind of touch and go.

* Reverse dress code: looking scruffy is acceptable, wearing a suit is frowned upon.

* Get to toy with students' entire futures!

* I'm not sure how much vacation time I technically get since no one, including me, keeps track of when I'm on vacation.

* No boss.

* No set hours, or even days, or work.

* Grad students do all the actual "work."

Unperks:

* Must on occasion interact with undergraduates.

* Female staff and students inexplicably complain if you take your shirt off and sit on their laps.

[Aeon221]

It was professor Bruce Banner. He was angry.

http://www.peteandlauren.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/13-03-06_the%20hulk06391.jpg

[BostonBum0]

Pros:
-Company Pick-Up Truck
-Company gas card
-Company credit card(must be able to justify purchases, so no games)
-90% Health care
-90% Dental
-401K with 25% match(very low for the local industry)
-2 Weeks paid vacation(this amount does not increase with time. Local competitors give up to 5 weeks)
-5 Days paid sick/personal days
-Occasional free meals with the bosses
-Occasional free tickets to local professional sporting events
-Occasional access to the company's Bruin's tickets
-Christmas party with open bar
-All union holidays
-1/2 day on Christmas eve
-5% commission on profit for projects for the year(I am told this is low)
-Industry benefits and fund raisers(Silent auctions and golf tournaments)

Cons:
-Vacation time must be submitted a month in advanced
-On call 24/7 and nothing ever breaks at 10 AM. It's always 2 AM on a Saturday
-Working 10-12 hour shifts
-Lots of stress from uncooperative/stubborn people that are really bitter in the industry

[Bahimiron]

He got a star named after her.

Star registry or real?

[Hanzii]

(remember, I live in commieland*)

Free hot drinks.
Unlimited sick days.
Flexible hours
Work at home when needed
No dresscode
Cafeteria (we pay for food/drinks based on price of ingredients, company pays the staffs wages)
37½ hour working week
6 weeks vacation plus the days between christmas and the new year. And a number of national holidays.
High job security, guranteed severance pay if...
A yearly teambuilding trip. Usual just my office, but this year 300+ people are off together (just a weekend).
Pension plan (I pay 3,5% or more, company pays 7,5%)
One paid week of further education with no set max. price limit (Poynter this year, I think)
Yearly bonus based on company earnings (but with a max. limit we've been hitting for years)
Some perfectly legal but certainly un-socialistic tax benefits**
Free bar and high class entertainment parties at summer and christmas.
Some dinners and whatnot with bosses/co-workers
Some catered/out of house meetings
Small fitness room
Some company sponsored sporting events and sportsteams
Monthly massage
Free fruit

Cons
No stock options unless I marry an owner

---------
The perks of my freelancing gig is not paying for games... but the wage is so low compared to the time spent, I'd probably be better off just buying my games with my main earnings. But I like writing.


*Not really, but most americans can't tell the difference
** Hard to explain, but our right wing government is setting up a tax system that's for all on paper, but we're only those with money benefits. This system means that we get to buy stuffdf like newspaper subscription, broadband, computers etc. or buy company bonds before tax is calculated. Some only people in certain jobs get to do and others that just carries a much higher tax benefit for high earners. slightly unfair, but stupid not to benefit from when offered.

[Mordrak]

Star registry or real?

It's been several years, but my impression was it is real. However, it could have been just as easily something like those moon certificates.

[VictoriaWong]

You should increase your static charge whenever you're around them. That would hopefully send the appropriate signal if they try to get personal.
Ooh, good idea. I just used steric hindrance. Arriving in a professor's office with two backpacks and 4 messenger bags proved effective.
Jeebus. A professor sat on laps and took his shirt off?
I don't think anyone let him do that simultaneously.
It was professor Bruce Banner. He was angry.
Sadly, it was the notable Steven Zucker. (http://www.math.jhu.edu/%7Esz/)
Perks:

* Cannot be fired. Short of committing a felony on campus. Even then it's kind of touch and go.

* Reverse dress code: looking scruffy is acceptable, wearing a suit is frowned upon.

* Get to toy with students' entire futures!

* I'm not sure how much vacation time I technically get since no one, including me, keeps track of when I'm on vacation.

* No boss.

* No set hours, or even days, or work.

* Grad students do all the actual "work."

Unperks:

* Must on occasion interact with undergraduates.

* Female staff and students inexplicably complain if you take your shirt off and sit on their laps.

Actually, the student whose lap was sat on was male.

[Peter Frazier]

High School Art Teacher:
12 weeks paid holiday.
School teaching hours: 9:00-3:10.
The work is incredibly rewarding if you are competent.
Fantasy art is like crack for teens- your nerdish bent is actually a strength!
As much white chalk as you desire.

[tiohn]

As much white chalk as you desire.

I need to get one of these jobs that provide free blow.

[Mordrak]

High School Art Teacher:
12 weeks paid holiday.
School teaching hours: 9:00-3:10.
The work is incredibly rewarding if you are competent.
Fantasy art is like crack for teens- your nerdish bent is actually a strength!
As much white chalk as you desire.

Sounds like an awesome job, except the teens. The only reason I'd go back to school is to get some sketchy accredited MFA degree in 3D animation or something and then teach technical classes at some go nowhere do nothing community college in the midwest.

I've got to set those goals high.


The work is incredibly rewarding if you are competent.
What do you mean by this though?

[Aleck]

Self employed consultant, working with schools and libraries on technology.

Pros:
Work 20 hrs/wk during the summer, 35-40 hrs/wk spring and fall, 75-80 hrs/wk winter.
Get as much vacation as I can afford to take.
Get the best benefits I can afford.
Get fantastic matching on my 401(k) (unfortunately, the match comes out of my pocket, too)
Get to fire the really annoying clients
Work from home 75% of the time, if not more
Sometimes get good business trips (US Virgin Islands 2x/yr)
No dress code when working from home. Usually wear shorts and a t-shirt.
Tax deductible toys

Cons:
Clients
No guaranteed income
Clients
Essentially on call 24/7 all winter
Clients
Business travel (rural Minnesota 2x/yr, rural Pennsylvania 2x/yr, etc.)
Clients
Billing
Clients

[Aleck]

Ooh, good idea. I just used steric hindrance. Arriving in a professor's office with two backpacks and 4 messenger bags proved effective.

I don't think anyone let him do that simultaneously.

Sadly, it was the notable Steven Zucker. (http://www.math.jhu.edu/%7Esz/)


Actually, the student whose lap was sat on was male.

I wonder if it's something about Johns Hopkins. I know two faculty members there, both of whom seriously give me the creeps (one is probably a pedophile, the other just sexually inappropriate... with my wife).

[VictoriaWong]

I wonder if it's something about Johns Hopkins. I know two faculty members there, both of whom seriously give me the creeps (one is probably a pedophile, the other just sexually inappropriate... with my wife).

It might just be the level of interaction I have with my professors, though.
I wasn't quite so creeped out by another (aging) professor's statement that he'd look for me whenever he went swimming.

[Ezdaar]

Grad Student:
Perks:
Work I get paid for is only 6-10 hours a week.
I don't have to work during the summer.
I get sent to conferences in various places around the world.
No one keeps track of sick days or vacation.
Don't have to work in the summer.
I come to work in shorts, t-shirt and sandals.
When I graduate I get a job like skedrastic.

Cons:
Actual work done is much much much more than 6-10 hours per week.
I don't get paid much.
I am somehow lower on the totem pole than every other position in the department, even though I have more education and experience than some of them (like lecturers).
My entire future is decided by people like skedrastic.

[Omniscia]

Part-time paralegal:

15-40 hours a week, depending on how much they need me.
No parking pass, so I have to fend for myself to find somewhere to ditch the car.
Low pay.
Hard hours; non-stop multitasking often leaving no time at all for lunch.
Have to bear the brunt of client tantrums at times.
Have you ever tried talking sense into a schizophrenic?

I keep telling myself, I'm doing this for the experience... And because I have a martyr complex.

[Sol Invictus]

Part-time paralegal:

15-40 hours a week, depending on how much they need me.
No parking pass, so I have to fend for myself to find somewhere to ditch the car.
Low pay.
Hard hours; non-stop multitasking often leaving no time at all for lunch.
Have to bear the brunt of client tantrums at times.
Have you ever tried talking sense into a schizophrenic?

I keep telling myself, I'm doing this for the experience... And because I have a martyr complex.

Sounds like you just get off on self-pity. Heh. You gotta bounce out of that.

[BobJustBob]

I used to be happy at work

Lies!

[Omniscia]

Sounds like you just get off on self-pity. Heh. You gotta bounce out of that.

Yeah, yeah, I know... :P

It's better than when I worked for EB, though.