A word about Te-ksystems, Robert Half, etc.

Sometimes you have to go with a temp agency to get that IT job. But just an FYI - places like Te-k-systems and Robert Half *do* offer health insurance, but it's so bad that you'll save money by just getting it on your own. If you're single it may not be such a big deal, but if you have a family, you'll be paying around $900.00 a month for it. So if you're offered a nice salary by such a temp agency, you'll find out that those health insurance dues take a huge wet bite out of your offered salary, and that great annual income suddenly isn't so great anymore. I know that sometimes you have to just get your foot in the job door, and - financially speaking - it may be more of a lateral move than a move up. I'm not discouraging anyone, but trying to inform others from my own sobering experiences.

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HeroPsycho

Also, don't count on the company you work for even if it has good health insurance to always have good health insurance. The company I work for had awesome Blue Cross stuff, then switched to United to save money. Consequently, I'm spending 4x as much now on prescriptions as I did before. And of course, no raises were given to compensate for that.

down77

I guess everyone has a different experience. I worked for Tek Systems for over 6 months and paid around 50cents per hour for pretty decent benefits. A few friends of mine have worked for Robert Half and unfortunately the benefits they received were not as good...

You also have to remember that when you work contract for some of these companies they tend to pay a higher hourly wage with the expectation that you cover your own benefits. My current company pays about 40% over the salary in benefits and compensation, that adds up quick!

astorrs

Yes 1/3 is usually the amount added to base salary to cover benefits and such when budgeting for full-time employees (every company will have a specific percentage they use, but 33% is the average).

As an independent consultant I pay for my own benefits (and vacation, sick days, etc). Here is a link to a PDF (http://www.cvac.ca/templates/Price%20your%20service.pdf) with some good information on "why" a consultant charges so much. Contract workers have to factor in a lot of these things as well when negotiating a wage for a particular contract, probably worth a read by anyone looking at either path.

mengo17

astorrs wrote:

Yes 1/3 is usually the amount added to base salary to cover benefits and such when budgeting for full-time employees (every company will have a specific percentage they use, but 33% is the average).

As an independent consultant I pay for my own benefits (and vacation, sick days, etc). Here is a link to a PDF (http://www.cvac.ca/templates/Price%20your%20service.pdf) with some good information on "why" a consultant charges so much. Contract workers have to factor in a lot of these things as well when negotiating a wage for a particular contract, probably worth a read by anyone looking at either path.

Thanks for that PDF document.... some good info there...

cdad2000

Im single and never even go see the doctor, but I been docked $700 YTD. The health care system is screwed up. Is universal health care the answer for the USA?

LBC90805

My health insurance is pure garbage!!! I work for as a contractor through an agency I will not name. Pretty much for my insurace I only get $1000 in total benefits while paying out $1144 annually. Do the math, it does not add up. Aetna is making money on me. Needless to say I'm canceling my insurace.

dan87951

Honestly I wouldn't get health insurance if its that much. That's nuts! I'm still young so I don't have many issues but the company I'm with my insurance is only about $100 for both dental and health.