Whether you are job searching or deciding on a job offer it's important to review what benefit coverage is provided by the companies you're interested in and to decide whether the employee benefit package is one that fully meets your needs.
Not all benefit packages are created equal and it's better to be informed, upfront, rather than have an unpleasant and possibly expensive surprise later on.
For example, a former colleague of mine accepted a new job and presumed that his benefits package would be equivilent to what he had at his old job. It wasn't - it provided single health insurance coverage. He had to pay to cover his family. There was no visual or dental care, like he had in the past. Also, the leave policy was different. At his old job, his employer provided a generous personal leave package that included vacation, sick time, and personal days. At the new job he got 5 sick days and 5 vacation days to start.
Benefits can be as important, and sometimes more important, that your paycheck. So, before you accept a job offer, review the types of employee benefits offered by the company. Then take some time to evaluate the benefits package to make sure it's a good fit for your personal and family circumstances.
More: Employee Benefit Packages | Employee Benefits
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