NATIONAL COMPENSATION SURVEY: 

GLOSSARY OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT TERMS 

August 2014
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Table of Contents 

 

 Page

 Overview ............................................ 3

 Retirement Benefits ................................ 4

 Health care Benefits .............................. 12

 Life Insurance Benefits ......................... 18

 Disability Benefits ................................ 19

 Paid Time-Off Benefits .......................... 20

 Other Benefits ....................................... 22
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Overview 

The definitions of major plans, key provisions, and related terms presented in this glossary are 

those used by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), National Compensation Survey (NCS) 

program when conducting its survey of employee benefits. Under the NCS program, information 

on the incidence and provision of benefits is published in several stages. Data on the incidence of 

(access to and participation in) selected benefits and detailed provisions of paid leave plans, life 

insurance plans, disability benefits, other selected benefits, and the employer and employee 

shares of contributions to medical care premiums are published annually, with a March reference 

period. Separate estimates are published for civilian workers, private industry employees, and 

state and local government workers. 

Data on detailed provisions of health insurance and retirement benefits for both private industry 

and state and local government also are available. See the BLS website www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs. 

Note: Access to employee benefit programs and participation in those programs, as these 

concepts are used in the National Compensation Survey, are defined as follows: 

 Access to a benefit plan: Employees are considered to have access to a benefit 

plan if it is available for their use. For example, if an employee is permitted to 

participate in a medical care plan offered by the employer, but the employee declines to 

do so, he or she is placed in a category with those having access to medical care. 

 Participation in a benefit plan: Employees in contributory plans are considered 

participants in an insurance or retirement plan if they have paid required contributions 

and fulfilled any applicable service requirements. Employees in noncontributory plans 

are counted as participating regardless of whether they have fulfilled the service 

requirements. Note that the term "incidence" can refer to either rates of access or rates of 

participation in a benefit plan. 

 Take-up rate: The percentage of workers with access to a plan who participate in 

the plan. 

Information on the scope of the survey, the sample design, data collection, survey estimation, 

and the reliability of estimates for all NCS products are in the BLS Handbook of Methods, 

at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch8.pdf. 
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Retirement Benefits 

Retirement plans are classified as either defined benefit or defined contribution plans. Defined 

benefit plans determine payments according to a fixed formula based on salary, years of service, 

and age. Defined contribution plans determine the value of individual accounts on the basis of 

the amount of money contributed and the rate of return on the money invested. 

Defined benefit plans 

Defined benefit pension plans provide employees with guaranteed retirement benefits based on 

benefit formulas. A participant’s retirement age, length of service, and preretirement earnings 

may affect the benefits received. Definitions, key provisions, and related terms follow. 

Traditional defined benefit formulas 

Percent of terminal earnings formulas. Benefits are based on a percentage of average earnings 

during a specified number of years at the end of a worker’s career (or when earnings are highest), 

multiplied by the number of years of service recognized by the plan. 

Percent of career earnings formulas. Benefits are based on a percentage of an average of career 

earnings for every year of service recognized by the plan. 

Dollar amount formulas. Benefits are based on a dollar amount per month for each year of 

service recognized by the plan. 

Percent of employer contribution formulas. Benefits are based on employer and, occasionally, 

employee contributions. Benefits equal a percentage of total contributions. 

Nontraditional defined benefit formulas 

Cash balance plans. For each year worked, employees are credited with a specified contribution 

and a rate of interest on that contribution, which together will provide a lump sum at retirement. 

The lump sum may also be converted to an annuity. 

Pension equity plans. For each year worked, employees are credited with a percentage applied to 

their final average earnings. Benefits generally are distributed as a lump sum, but may be 

converted to an annuity. 
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Frozen retirement plans 

Frozen retirement plans are benefit plans that typically are closed to new enrollees and that may 

limit future benefit accruals for some or all active plan participants. These plans may be of 

different types. Some may no longer allow participants to accrue additional benefits. Others may 

change the plan’s prospective benefit formula in such a way as to limit or cease future benefit 

accruals for some active participants. The length of time is calculated based on the year the plan 

was modified. 

Normal retirement 

Normal retirement is the age at which plan participants may retire and receive all accrued 

benefits. 

Early retirement 

Early retirement is the age (or a combination of age and length of service) at which plan 

participants may retire and receive all accrued benefits, minus a reduction for the number of 

years by which their retirement age precedes their normal retirement age. 

Benefit payment methods 

Payments from defined benefit plans may be in the form of a straight life annuity, a joint-andsurvivor annuity, a percentage of the unreduced accrued benefit, or a lump sum. 

Straight-life annuity. A periodic payment made for the life of the retiree, with no additional 

payments to survivors. 

Joint-and-survivor annuity. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 

requires defined benefit pension plans that offer an annuity as a payment option to provide a 

qualified joint-and-survivor annuity (QJSA) as the default benefit payment for married 

participants. A QJSA is an immediate annuity for the life of the participant and a survivor 

annuity for the life of the participant’s spouse. The amount of the survivor annuity may not be 

less than 50 percent, or more than 100 percent, of the amount payable during the time the 

participant and spouse are both alive. The annuity payable for the life of the participant is lower 

than that for a straight life annuity; to account for the increased length of time over which 

payments will be made, this reduction may be a percentage of the straight life benefit, such as 10 

percent, or may be based on the life expectancy of the participant and spouse. 

Percentage of unreduced accrued benefit. Under this method, the participant’s pension is not 

reduced to adjust for survivor benefits. The participant will receive an amount equal to the 
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straight life annuity, and the spouse will receive a proportion of that amount, often 50 percent, 

should the participant die. 

Lump-sum payment. The participant may opt for a full lump sum, with no further benefits 

received from the plan. If a plan provides for a partial lump-sum payment, the participant will 

receive a reduced annuity as well. 

Vesting 

Vesting refers to the amount of time a participant must work before earning a nonforfeitable 

right to a retirement benefit. Once the participant is vested, the accrued benefit is retained even if 

the worker leaves the employer before reaching retirement age. 

Immediate full vesting. An employee is 100 percent vested immediately upon enrollment in the 

plan. 

Cliff vesting. No vesting occurs until an employee satisfies the service requirements for 100-

percent vesting—for example, 5 years. 

Graded vesting. An employee’s nonforfeitable percentage of employer contributions increases 

over time, until reaching 100 percent. 

Integration with Social Security 

Defined benefit plans may integrate retirement benefits with Social Security benefits. Under this 

approach, the employer’s contribution to Social Security (FICA taxes) is taken into account 

when plan benefits are computed. Integration may be accomplished by an offset or a step-rate 

method. 

Offset. Part of a participant’s Social Security benefit is subtracted from the benefit otherwise 

payable by the plan. The maximum allowable offset is 83.3 percent of the Social Security 

benefit. The most common offset is 50 percent. 

Step rate. Lower benefit rates are applied to earnings up to the specified taxable Social Security 

wage base (that is, the earnings subject to Social Security tax); higher benefit rates are applied to 

earnings above the wage base. 

Portability 

Portability is a participant’s ability to maintain and transfer accumulated pension benefits when 

changing jobs. Portability provisions in defined benefit plans generally cover portability of 

assets, portability of credited service, or both. 
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Portability of assets. Participants can withdraw their accumulated pension benefits or transfer 

them to another retirement arrangement. 

Portability of credited service. Participants are allowed to count the years of service with a 

previous employer when determining benefits from their current employer. 

Disability retirement 

Disability retirement is retirement resulting from a totally disabling injury or illness prior to 

eligibility for early or normal retirement. Plans providing disability retirement benefits may have 

a service requirement, such as 10 years or longer. Benefits may be immediate or deferred. 

Defined contribution plans 

Defined contribution plans are retirement plans that specify the level of employer contributions 

and place those contributions into individual employee accounts. 

Types of plans 

Savings and thrift plans. Employees may contribute a predetermined portion of earnings (usually 

pretax)—all or part of which the employer matches—to an individual account. Employers may 

match a fixed percentage of employee contributions or a percentage that varies by length of 

service, amount of employee contribution, or other factors. Contributions are invested as directed 

by the employee or employer. Although usually designed as a long-term savings vehicle, 

savings-and-thrift plans may allow withdrawals and loans before retirement. 

Deferred profit-sharing plans. In this type of defined contribution plan, a company credits shares 

of company profits to participating employees’ accounts. Plans may set a fixed formula for 

sharing profits, but are not required to do so. Profit-sharing contributions to employees’ accounts 

may be at the discretion of the company. Companies must set a method of allocating profitsharing contributions to individual employees. Common allocation methods include allocation 

proportional to employee salary and equal allocation to all employees. Contributions and any 

accrued investment earnings on the accounts normally are not distributed until an employee’s 

retirement from the company. The plan may allow employee contributions, but employees 

seldom are required to contribute to the plan. 

Money purchase pension plans. Fixed employer contributions, typically calculated as a 

percentage of employee earnings, are allocated to individual employee accounts each year. Some 

plans may allow employee contributions, but employees usually are not required to make any 

contributions. Employers also may make profit-sharing contributions to these plans at their 

discretion. 
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Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). The employer pays a designated amount, often 

borrowed, into a fund that is then invested, primarily in company stock. Any debt incurred in the 

purchase of the stock is repaid by the company. Stock is then distributed to employees according 

to a formula. 

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs). An IRA is a retirement savings plan. There are several 

types of IRAs: traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, simplified employee pension (SEP) IRAs, and 

savings-incentive match plans for employees (SIMPLE) IRAs. Traditional and Roth IRAs are 

established by individuals who are allowed to contribute earnings up to a set maximum dollar 

amount. SEPs and SIMPLE plans are retirement plans established by employers. 

Simplified employee pensions (SEPs). An individual retirement account (IRA) is established for 

each eligible employee. The employee is immediately vested in employer contributions and 

generally directs the investment of the money. 

Savings-incentive match plans for employees (SIMPLE) plan. This type of plan is limited to 

employers with fewer than 100 employees and who also do not have any other qualified 

retirement plan. SIMPLE plans can be either part of a 401(k) plan or established as IRAs. 

Employers must either make matching contributions of up to 3 percent of compensation or make 

a 2-percent nonelective contribution to all eligible employees. Participants who are 50 years or 

older may make additional pretax employee contributions into a SIMPLE plan. 

Methods of contributions 

Pre-tax contributions. This type of contribution is a feature of many savings-and-thrift plans and 

other defined contribution plans that allow employees to make contributions to deferred 

compensation plans through salary reduction agreements before federal and state taxes are 

deducted from pay. Distributions from a plan funded by pre-tax contributions are taxable at 

distribution. 

Post-tax contributions. This type of contribution combines features of a Roth IRA plan and a 

401(k) or 403(b) plan. Under these plans, employees are allowed to make part or all of their 

retirement plan contributions after taxes have been deducted, similar to the way a Roth IRA plan 

works. Post-tax contributions and their earnings are not subject to income tax upon distribution. 

Amounts up to Internal Revenue Code (IRC) limit. The IRC provides for dollar limitations on 

benefits and contributions under qualified defined contribution plans. 
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Investment choices 

Company stock. Employees receive equity in the company that sponsors the defined contribution 

plan. 

Common stock fund. This is a professionally managed fund invested in the common stock of a 

variety of companies. 

Fixed-interest securities. These securities include bonds and other nonfederal instruments that 

pay a fixed interest rate over a predetermined period. 

Diversified investments. These are professionally managed funds that are invested in more than 

one type of equity or debt instrument. 

Money market fund. This is a professionally managed mutual fund that invests in short-term 

Treasury bills, certificates of deposit, or corporate bonds. The fund managers sell shares to 

investors, who receive regular payments of interest. 

Life cycle fund. This is a balanced fund designed to become more conservative as the investor 

approaches retirement by moving from equity funds to fixed-income mutual funds. 

Withdrawals, loans and transfers 

Withdrawals. Prior to normal payout (usually at retirement), defined contribution plan 

participants may be allowed to withdraw all or a portion of the employer funds from their 

accounts. Although most early withdrawals incur tax penalties, hardship withdrawals do not. To 

avoid tax penalties, many plans have loan provisions that allow employees to borrow from their 

accounts, with interest, for a specified period. 

Hardship withdrawals. Employees usually are not penalized when money is withdrawn as a 

result of a hardship, often defined as the death or illness of a family member, educational 

expenses, sudden uninsured losses, or a need to prevent eviction from one’s primary residence. 

Loans. Defined contribution plans may allow participants to borrow employer funds, with 

interest, from their accounts. Loan amounts often are limited to a portion of the account balance. 

They usually have to be repaid within 5 years, but longer payment periods may apply for home 

purchase or renovation loans. 

Transfers or rollovers. A rollover is a direct payment of plan benefits from a defined 

contribution plan into an IRA or another employer’s plan. In a direct rollover, the employee is 

not taxed on the payment until it is withdrawn or distributed later. 
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Vesting 

Vesting refers to the amount of time a participant must work before earning a nonforfeitable 

right to a retirement benefit. Once the participant is vested, the accrued benefit is retained even if 

the worker leaves the employer before reaching retirement age. Under ERISA, defined 

contribution plans are subject to the same vesting rules as defined benefit plans, but vesting 

schedules vary. Vesting schedules apply only to employer contributions; employee contributions 

(including pretax contributions) are always 100 percent vested. 

Immediate full vesting. An employee is 100 percent vested immediately upon enrollment in the 

plan. 

Cliff vesting. No vesting occurs until an employee satisfies the service requirements for 100-

percent vesting—for example, 5 years. 

Graded vesting. An employee’s nonforfeitable percentage of employer contributions increases 

over time, until reaching 100 percent. 

Employer contribution methods 

Specified matching percent. This feature is common in savings-and-thrift plans. The employer 

matches a specified percentage of employee contributions. The matching percentage can vary by 

length of service, amount of employee contribution, and other factors. 

Fixed percentage of profits formula. This feature is common in deferred profit sharing plans. The 

employer contributes a fixed percentage of total annual profits to the plan. For example, no 

matter what the level of profits, 5 percent is contributed to the plan. Profits may include those for 

the entire company or just those in a specific business unit. In a variation of this formula, 

employers set aside a reserve amount of profits (for example, $1 million) and pay only a fixed 

percentage of any profits above this amount into the employees’ defined contribution plan. 

Percentage of employee earnings. The employer contributes a fixed percentage of each 

employee’s earnings to his or her individual account. This feature is common in money purchase 

plans. 

Related plans and terms 

Stock bonus plan. Contributions are placed in a trust fund that invests in securities, including 

those of the employing company. This type of plan is financed by the employer or jointly by the 

employer and employee. Upon the employee’s retirement or separation from the company, 

proceeds from the trust fund are paid out in the form of company stock or cash. 
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Automatic enrollment. As soon as eligibility requirements are met, employees become covered 

under a plan, but have the right to decline coverage at any time. A minimum default employee 

contribution and default investment vehicles usually are set, but employees may choose to 

contribute a different percentage and change investments. 

Automatic escalation. Employee contributions are automatically increased at a predetermined 

rate over time, raising the contribution rate as a share of earnings. Employees may choose to 

contribute a different percentage. 
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Health care Benefits 

Health care benefits provide preventive and protective medical, dental, vision, or prescription 

drug coverage to employees and their families. Most employer-provided plans cover the 

employee and the employee’s dependents, including spouse and children. 

Medical care 

Medical care plans provide services or payments for services rendered in the hospital or by a 

qualified medical care provider. 

Fee-for-service plans 

Traditional fee-for-service plan. This type of plan finances, but does not deliver, health care 

services; the plan allows participants the choice of any provider, without affecting 

reimbursement. Employers pay premiums to a private insurance carrier to provide a specific 

package of health benefits. Some employers may choose to self-fund a fee-for-service plan, in 

which case the employer, as opposed to an insurance company, assumes responsibility for 

payment of all eligible benefits. 

Exclusive provider organization (EPO). This type of plan obligates employees to use only the 

plan’s providers in order to receive coverage, in contrast to PPO benefit plans, which merely 

offer a financial incentive for enrollees to use the preferred provider. 

Preferred provider organization (PPO). This type of plan provides coverage through a network 

of participating health care providers. Enrollees may receive services outside the network, but 

generally at higher costs. The additional costs may be in the form of higher deductibles, higher 

coinsurance rates, or both, or in the form of nondiscounted charges from providers. 

Point-of-service (POS) plan. This type of plan provides services through a network of 

participating health care providers. Services received within the network or through select 

medical facilities generally provide more generous benefits than services received outside the 

network. 

Consumer-driven health plan (CDHP). This type of plan combines a high-deductible health 

policy that provides protection from catastrophic medical expenses with a tax-favored account 

that pays routine health care expenses such as those for prescription medications and doctors’ 

visits. 

High-deductible health plan (HDHP). This type of plan typically features a higher deductible 

and lower insurance premiums than those of traditional health plans. The plan includes 
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catastrophic coverage to protect against large medical expenses, but the insured is responsible for 

routine out-of-pocket expenses up until they meet the plan deductible. 

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) 

HMOs assume both the financial risks associated with providing comprehensive medical 

services and the responsibility for delivering health care in a particular geographic area, usually 

in return for a fixed, prepaid fee from members. HMOs emphasize preventive care and cover 

most types of care in full or subject to a copayment. 

Traditional HMOs. This type of HMO provides no benefits for services obtained outside the 

network. 

Open-access HMOs. This type of HMO allows enrollees to receive services from a non-network 

provider at a higher cost than the enrollee would pay at a network provider. The additional costs 

may be in the form of higher deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance. 

Limitations on coverage 

Maximum dollar limit. This limit is the maximum amount payable by the insurer for covered 

expenses for the insured and each covered dependent while the insured is enrolled in the health 

plan. Plans can have a yearly or a lifetime maximum dollar limit. The most typical maximum 

limit is a lifetime amount of $1 million per individual. Under the Patient Protection and 

Affordable Care Act (PPACA), as of September 23, 2010, employers with 50 or more employees 

were required to eliminate lifetime maximums on eligible medical care. 

Maximum out-of-pocket expense. This feature limits the dollar amount a group member is 

required to pay out-of-pocket during a year, in addition to the plan deductible. Until it is met, the 

plan and the member share in the cost of covered expenses. After the maximum is reached, the 

insurer pays all covered expenses. 

Deductible. The deductible is a dollar amount that an insured person pays during the benefit 

period—usually a year—before the insurer starts to make payments for covered medical 

services. Plans may have both individual and family deductibles. Some plans have separate 

deductibles for specific services. For example, a plan may have a hospitalization deductible per 

admission. Deductibles may differ between services received from an approved provider (that is, 

a provider with whom the insurer has a contract or an agreement specifying payment levels and 

other requirements) and those received from providers not on the approved list. 

Coinsurance. This form of medical cost sharing requires an insured person to pay a stated 

percentage of medical expenses after the deductible amount, if any, is paid. After any deductible 
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amount and coinsurance are paid, the insurer is responsible for the rest of the reimbursement for 

covered benefits, up to the maximum allowed charges. The individual is responsible for any 

charges in excess of what the insurer determines to be “usual, customary, and reasonable.” 

Coinsurance rates may differ between services received from an approved provider and those 

received from providers not on the approved list. 

Copayments. The fixed dollar amount that an insured person must pay when a service is received 

before any remaining charges are paid by the insurer. 

Overall limits. The NCS uses this term to refer to restrictions that apply to all or most benefits 

under the plan, as opposed to selected individual benefits. An example of an overall limit is a 

$300-per-year deductible that must be paid before medical expenses become eligible for 

reimbursement. Another example is an 80-percent coinsurance that applies to all categories of 

care except outpatient surgery. 

Internal limits. An internal limit applies to individual categories of care—for example, a $250-

per-procedure deductible for inpatient surgery. 

Alternatives to hospitalization 

Alternatives are offered as a means of reducing costs. 

Skilled nursing facilities. This benefit provides rehabilitation and convalescent services, as well 

as skilled nursing care, to patients who require less intensive treatment than that provided in a 

hospital. 

Home health care. This benefit provides skilled nursing and therapeutic services to patients in 

their own homes. 

Hospice care. These programs provide nursing care and psychological support for terminally ill 

patients and their families, either on an inpatient basis or in the patient’s home. 

Outpatient surgery. Surgical procedures performed in the outpatient department of a hospital or 

ambulatory facility. 

Mental health and substance abuse treatment 

These services include inpatient and outpatient care for psychiatric conditions and alcohol and 

drug dependency. In the past, coverage for these services was usually more restrictive than that 

for general medical conditions. Under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 

2008 (MHPAEA), employers with 50 employees or more are required to offer medical plans 
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with restrictions on mental health and substance abuse coverage identical to those on the 

coverage of general medical conditions. 

Substance abuse treatment. Plans provide at least partial payment for addiction to alcohol and/or 

drugs. 

Inpatient care. Includes institutional treatment in a hospital or specialized facility. 

Outpatient care. Includes treatment in one or more of the following: outpatient department of 

hospital, residential treatment center, organized outpatient clinic, day-night treatment center, and 

doctor’s office. 

Detoxification. Involves supervised care by medical personnel that is designed to reduce or 

eliminate the symptoms of chemical dependency. Treatment must occur on an inpatient basis. 

Rehabilitation. Intended to alter the behavior of substance abusers and usually are provided after 

detoxification is complete. Services can be provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis. 

Miscellaneous terms 

Premium. A premium is the fee paid for coverage of medical benefits for a defined period. 

Premiums can be paid by employers, unions, or employees or can be shared by the enrollee and 

the plan sponsor. 

Self-insured plan. Under this type of plan, employers directly assume the major cost of health 

insurance for their employees. Some self-insured plans bear the entire risk. Other self-insured 

plans insure against large claims through the purchase of stop-loss coverage. Some self-insured 

plans contract with insurance carriers or third-party administrators for claims processing and 

other administrative services; other self-insured plans are self-administered. 

Provider network. Under nontraditional fee-for-services plans and HMOs, this is a network of 

approved providers with whom the insurer has a contract or an agreement specifying payment 

levels and other requirements and whose services are covered more generously by the plan than 

if they are obtained elsewhere. 

Administrative services only (ASO). Under this type of plan, a third party disburses the 

employer’s funds to pay claims and handle other administrative details. 

Insured plan. In an insured plan, the employer contracts with another organization to assume 

financial responsibility for the costs of enrollees’ medical claims. 
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Well-baby care. A well-baby care benefit provides for preventive doctors’ visits for children 2 

years of age and younger. The benefit includes preventive pediatric care, routine pediatric care, 

and routine pediatric immunizations. Care immediately after the birth of the child is not included. 

Prescription drugs 

Prescription drug plans provide coverage for outpatient prescription drugs. Prescription drugs 

dispensed during a hospital stay are covered as hospital miscellaneous charges. 

Name-brand drugs. These are drugs that once were, or still are, under patents. 

Generic drugs. These are drugs that are not under any patents. Once a drug’s patent has expired, 

some plans provide more generous coverage for same-formula generic drugs than for namebrand drugs; the practice is adopted as a cost containment measure. 

Mail-order drugs. These are drugs that can be ordered through the mail. As a cost containment 

measure, some plans use mail-order pharmacies that typically provide a 3-month supply of 

maintenance drugs. 

Formulary drugs. These are both generic and brand-name drugs approved by the health care 

provider. Drugs not approved by the health care provider are nonformulary drugs, for which 

enrollees receive less generous benefits, such as a higher copayment per prescription. 

Dental care 

Dental care plans provide services or payments for restorative care and related treatment to the 

teeth and gums. 

Preventive services. Services include routine exams, cleanings, xrays, and other preventive care. 

Basic services. Services include fillings, dental surgery, periodontal care (treatment for gum 

disease), and endodontics (root canal therapy). 

Major services. Services include procedures such as crowns and prosthetics (replacement of 

missing teeth with bridgework or dentures). 

Orthodontia services. These are services for the correction of malpositioned teeth. 
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Vision care 

Vision care plans provide coverage for the improvement of eyesight, including eyeglasses and 

contact lenses. Coverage typically is limited and is subject to applicable copayments or 

scheduled cash allowances. 
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Life Insurance Benefits 

Life insurance provides a lump-sum payment to a designated beneficiary or beneficiaries of a 

deceased employee. Companies may provide a basic amount of life insurance benefits, which 

may vary with an employee’s age, income, and occupation. Companies also may allow 

employees to pay for additional amounts of coverage. 

Benefit formulas 

Fixed-multiple-of-earnings benefit plans. These plans link the benefit amount to employee 

earnings, usually rounded to a stated dollar amount. This link enables the level of protection to 

increase automatically as income rises. 

Variable-multiple-of-earnings benefit plans. Benefit calculations under these plans use multiples 

that are based on employee earnings. For example, employees earning up to $50,000 per year 

might receive a benefit equal to their annual earnings, whereas employees earning more than 

$50,000 per year might receive twice their annual earnings. 

Flat-dollar-amount benefit plans. These plans provide a fixed life insurance benefit amount. 

Insurance amounts ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 are common in such plans. 

Variable-dollar-amount benefit plans. These plans provide a dollar amount that varies with an 

employee’s earnings and length of service. 
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Disability Benefits 

Disability benefits provide protection against loss of income due to a nonoccupational illness or 

injury. 

Short-term disability 

Short-term disability plans provide benefits for non-work-related illnesses or accidents on a perdisability basis, typically for a 6-month to 12-month period. Benefits are paid as a percentage of 

employee earnings or as a flat dollar amount. Short-term disability benefits vary with the amount 

of predisability earnings, length of service with the establishment, or length of disability. 

Plans can be funded in any of the following ways: 

Noncommercially insured. The employer is required to have liquid assets corresponding to the 

projected liability of the plan. These plans must be registered with the Department of Labor and 

are guaranteed by ERISA. The employer assumes all risks and expenses of providing the benefit. 

Commercially insured. The employer pays monthly premiums to an insurance carrier in 

exchange for the carrier assuming all risks of underwriting a short-term disability policy. The 

actuarially determined premium is often specified as a rate per $10 of weekly benefit per month. 

In some cases, the employer contributes a specific amount (often a number of cents per hour 

worked for each employee) to a designated union fund that provides welfare benefits. 

State temporary disability plans. The states of California, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Jersey, and 

New York require temporary disability insurance (TDI) coverage. These plans provide 

temporary income for a limited period to workers who are unable to work because of non-workrelated accidents or illnesses. California and Rhode Island mandated plans do not require 

employer contributions; Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York require employer contributions to 

disability plans. 

Long-term disability 

Long-term disability plans provide a monthly benefit to eligible employees who, because of a 

non-work-related illness or injury, are unable to work for an extended length of time. Benefits 

usually are paid as a fixed percentage of predisability earnings, up to a set limit. Most 

participants have a waiting period of 3 to 6 months, or until sick leave or short-term disability 

benefits end, before long-term disability benefits begin. Long-term disability benefits generally 

continue until retirement or a specified age, or for a period that varies with the employee’s age at 

the time of the disability. 
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Paid Time-Off Benefits 

Paid holidays. Holidays are days of special religious, cultural, social, or patriotic significance on 

which work and business ordinarily cease. Employees usually have these days off from work and 

may receive either full or partial pay for holidays. 

Paid vacations. Vacations are leave from work (or pay in lieu of time off) provided on an annual 

basis and normally taken in blocks of days or weeks. Paid vacations commonly are granted to 

employees only after they meet specified service requirements. The amount of vacation leave 

received each year usually varies with the length of service. Vacation time off normally is paid at 

full pay or partial pay, or it may be a percentage of employee earnings. 

Paid personal leave. Personal leave is a general-purpose leave benefit, used for reasons 

important to the individual employee, but not otherwise provided by other forms of leave. Some 

employers place restrictions on the purposes for which personal leave may be used. 

Paid sick leave. Sick leave is paid absence from work if an employee is unable to work because 

of a non-work-related illness or injury. The employer usually provides all or part of an 

employee’s earnings. Employees commonly receive their regular pay for a specified number of 

days off per year. Sick leave is provided on a per-year basis, usually expressed in days, and is 

never insured. 

Paid military leave. Military leave is paid absence from work to fulfill military commitments. 

Pay may be either regular pay or the difference between employees’ regular earnings and the 

amount they receive from the military. 

Paid funeral leave. Funeral leave provides time off from work because of a death in the family. 

The period of absence is usually limited to a few days (for example, 3 paid days of leave for 

immediate family members and 1 paid day for other relatives). 

Paid jury duty leave. Jury duty leave provides a paid absence from work when one is summoned 

to serve as a juror. Employer payments commonly make up the difference between the 

employee’s regular pay and the court’s jury allowance. 

Paid family leave. Family leave is granted to an employee to care for a family member and 

includes paid maternity and paternity leave. The leave may be available to care for a newborn 

child, an adopted child, a sick child, or a sick adult relative. Paid family leave is given in addition 

to any sick leave, vacation, personal leave, or short-term disability leave that is available to the 

employee. 
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Unpaid family leave. This leave is granted to an employee to care for a family member. The 

leave may be used to care for a newborn child, an adopted child, a sick child, or a sick adult 

relative. A typical family leave plan extends leave without pay to an employee for a period of 

several months while the employee cares for the family member. The Family and Medical Leave 

Act (FMLA) of 1993 is a Federal law providing unpaid job-protected leave to eligible workers 

for the care of their families or themselves for specified family and medical conditions. The 

FMLA provides eligible workers with up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave per year for the birth, 

adoption, or foster care placement of a child; the care of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a 

serious health condition; or the employee's own serious health condition resulting in an inability 

to work. Employers with fewer than 50 employees at a worksite (and within 75 miles of that 

worksite) are excluded from the FMLA. 

Consolidated leave plans. These are plans that replace different types of leave, such as vacation, 

sick leave, and personal leave. In consolidated leave plans, all types of leave are combined or 

used interchangeably within a single plan. Employees are allowed to use leave for any purpose 

that is stipulated by the plan. These plans are most often found at establishments such as 

hospitals, which must be open around-the-clock. 

Leisure leave. This leave provides access to one or more of the following benefits: paid vacation, 

paid holidays, and paid personal leave. 
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Other Benefits 

Quality of life benefits 

Flexible work schedule. This benefit permits employees to set their own schedules within a 

general set of parameters. Employees generally are required to work a minimum number of core 

hours each day. 

Childcare assistance. This benefit provides either full or partial reimbursement for the cost of 

caring for an employee's children in a nursery or daycare center or by a babysitter. Care can be 

provided in facilities either on or off the employer's premises. 

Flexible workplace. This benefit permits workers to work an agreed-upon portion of their work 

schedule at home or at some other approved location, such as a regional work center. Such 

arrangements are especially compatible with work requiring the use of computers linking the 

home or work center to the central office. 

Wellness programs. These programs provide a structured plan, independent from health 

insurance that offers employees two or more of the following benefits: smoking cessation 

programs, exercise or physical fitness programs, weight control programs, nutrition education, 

hypertension tests, periodic physical examinations, stress management programs, back-care 

courses, and lifestyle assessment tests. 

Employee assistance programs (EAPs). These programs provide structured plans, closely related 

to employee wellness programs, which typically deal with more serious personal problems than 

the essentially medical problems covered by wellness programs. EAPs can offer referral services, 

or referral services in combination with counseling services. Both the referral services and the 

counseling services may be supplied by company personnel, by an outside organization under 

contract, or by a combination of both. 

Financial benefits 

Health savings accounts (HSAs). These financial tools are employee-owned portable accounts 

that use tax-exempt contributions to pay for medical expenses. HSAs are used in combination 

with employer-provided high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) with annual maximum limits on 

out-of-pocket and deductible expenses. Other features include the rollover of unused 

contributions from year to year and tax-free interest. 

Flexible benefit plans. Also known as cafeteria benefit plans, flexible benefit plans are operated 

under provisions of Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 125 allows employees to 
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make a choice between cash (taxable) and noncash (nontaxable) benefits. The code permits 

companies providing flexible benefit plans to offer employees the following options: accident 

and health insurance plans, including health care spending accounts; group term life insurance 

and dependent coverage; disability benefits and accidental death and dismemberment plans; 

employee contributions to 401(k) plans or other thrift or savings plans (either pretax or after tax); 

dependent care assistance plans, including spending accounts; vacation days; and group legal 

services. Flexible benefit plans may be funded solely by the employer or through joint employeremployee contributions. Employers usually grant each employee credits to purchase benefits 

covered by the plan. Many plans include a core group of benefits (for example, life insurance 

coverage of $25,000) and allow employees to purchase additional levels of the core benefit as 

well as benefits not included in the core group. An example is the employer’s offering an 

additional $20,000 in life insurance coverage. 

Health care reimbursement accounts. Also known as flexible spending accounts, health care 

reimbursement accounts can be part of a flexible benefit plan or stand alone. Employees 

participating in these accounts allocate a declared pretax amount, up to a set limit, for out-ofpocket health care expenses such as deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and other qualified 

health care expenses not covered by their health insurance. Any money not used by the end of 

the plan year is forfeited. 

Dependent care reimbursement accounts. Also known as flexible spending accounts, dependent 

care reimbursement accounts can be part of a flexible benefit plan or stand alone. Employees 

participating in these accounts allocate a declared pretax amount, up to a set limit, for out-ofpocket qualified expenses, including childcare, elder care, or services to a disabled dependent. 

Any money not used by the end of the plan year is forfeited. 

Savings with no employer contributions. These are cash or deferred arrangement plans used to 

fund savings and retirement plans authorized by section 401(k), 403(b), or 457 of the Internal 

Revenue Code. The employees’ contributions can be pre- and post-tax. 

Payroll deduction IRA. This plan is established by the employer on behalf of the employee, but 

with no employer contributions. The employee can open either a traditional (tax deductible) or 

Roth (contributions are made after taxes but accumulate tax-free until retirement) plan with a 

financial institution, and the employee authorizes a payroll deduction by the employer. As long 

as the employer’s involvement is minimal, the plan is not treated as an employer-sponsored 

retirement plan and it is not subject to the legal requirements of such plans. 

Financial planning. This is a service to help employees make decisions related to savings, 

borrowing, investing, home purchases, education expenses, and retirement income. 
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Stock options 

Stock option plans allow establishment employees the right to buy company stock at a fixed 

price by a fixed time. Stock options are available only to employees of for-profit private industry 

establishments. 

Performance. This type of stock option is offered to employees only if certain company 

performance criteria, such as earnings-per-share targets, are met. 

Signing. This type of stock option is offered to employees to join a firm by giving them a chance 

to make a significant capital gain. 

Health-related benefits 

Long-term care insurance. This type of health plan provides long-term (more than 1 year) 

custodial care, home care, and nursing home care. Coverage may be extended to active 

employees, retirees, parents of active employees, and dependents of active employees and 

retirees. Premiums are generally, though not necessarily, paid by employees. These plans are 

separate from coverage for extended care facilities and home health care found in health 

insurance plans that provide post-hospitalization benefits for a limited period. 

Retiree health care. This type of health plan provides coverage to a retiree beyond what is 

mandated by COBRA or other health continuation laws. Coverage must include provisions 

typically found in a medical plan, such as hospitalization and doctor’s care. The retiree plan does 

not have to be the same plan provided to active employees, nor does it matter whether the retiree 

pays the entire premium. Plans that cover only dental, vision, or prescription drugs are not 

included. 

Nonproduction bonuses 

Nonproduction bonuses are payments to employees that are not directly related by any formula 

to individual employee productivity. 

Attendance bonus. This is a payment to employees who achieve a specified attendance goal. For 

example, all employees who take 2 or fewer days of sick leave within a given year are paid an 

attendance bonus of $500. 

Cash profit sharing. This is a payment to employees in recognition of their contribution to 

company profitability. Payments may vary with length of service. 
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Employee recognition bonus. This is a payment to employees that rewards performance or 

significant accomplishments. An example is an employee-of-the-month award. 

End-of-year bonus. This is a payment to employees near the end of the year as a sign of 

appreciation for working hard throughout the year. 

Holiday bonus. This payment to employees is made on a holiday and as a sign of appreciation. 

The payment is usually a token gesture, with all employees receiving the same amount. 

Payment in lieu of benefits. This is a payment to employees in lieu of the employer’s providing a 

benefit, such as health care. In some cases, the employer offers cash to employees who waive 

employer-sponsored benefits, such as sick leave. When this occurs, the employer passes the 

savings from the waived benefit to the employee. 

Safety bonus. This is a payment to employees for maintaining a high level of safety in the 

workplace. For example, a department may receive a bonus for experiencing no injury days 

during a quarter. 

Suggestion bonus. This is a payment to employees whose innovative suggestions to create better 

work processes and improve efficiency in the establishment have been considered or 

implemented. 

Hiring bonus. This payment is made by an employer to induce an individual to accept 

employment with the company. 

Longevity bonus. This is a bonus or a lump-sum payment of some kind (for example, a 

government savings bond or an add-on to severance pay) paid to employees on the basis of their 

length of service. 

Referral bonus. This payment is given to employees for recommending a qualified applicant who 

is hired by the establishment. 

Retention bonus. This payment is made by an employer to an incumbent to retain that individual 

within the establishment. 

Union-related bonus. This is a payment to employees covered by a collective bargaining 

agreement upon signing a new labor contract or in lieu of a general wage increase. 

Management incentive bonus. This is a payment to managers or supervisors, rewarding them for 

their ability to direct the performance of a group of employees in their charge in the attainment 

of a specified goal. For example, a manager may receive a bonus for having the highest sales. 
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Other bonus. This is a payment to employees that is not applicable to other listed nonproduction 

bonus categories. Examples are birthday bonuses and retirement bonuses. 

Unmarried domestic partner benefits 

Some employers extend benefits to domestic partners, defined as two unrelated, unmarried adults 

who share the same household. In order to qualify for benefits, an employee may need to 

demonstrate that a partner meets certain criteria set by the employer. Employers may set their 

own criteria for what constitutes an eligible domestic partner. Benefits offered to domestic 

partners include health care plans and survivor benefits under defined benefit retirement plans.