Benefits of Working at a College or University
Working at a College or University
There are many benefits of working at a college or university but just like any large company some of the benefits can vary from school to school. Most colleges or universities get their funding either through tuition costs, federal or state funding and / or donations from outside contributors. Regardless of the funding source they still need to pay all the employees.
Employees consist of cleaners or custodians, maintenance workers, grounds keepers, public safety, office workers, professors and so on all the way up the food chain to the President or Dean. When visiting a College or University you will notice that there are almost as many workers as there are students spread throughout the campus. All of the staff of a college typically get compensated for the work they do over the course of the year.
Benefit Packages
Like many large firms, most colleges and universities have a very appealing benefit package to provide employees for the work they do for the school. Each department may have a somewhat different package to offer their employees and like most businesses packages can be slightly better than others depending on the position or title being held at the campus.
Payed Holidays
Payed Holidays - Each school has a list of the payed holidays that each employee is entitled to. Usually if the employee has to work on a particular holiday they are compensated an additional 1-1/2 times regular wage. Some prefer to say double time and a half for a payed holiday.
Payed Sick Days
Payed Sick Days - There are a few different ways to accrue sick days. Some give you the days in the beginning of the year and some have to earn the sick days by the amount of time worked in a week.
Payed Personal Days
Payed Personal Days - The same goes for personal days. These are can be supplied at the beginning of the year so that each employee gets so many hours or days through out the year. Or they can also be accrued though out the year depending on policies or contracts.
Payed Vacation Days
Payed Vacation Days - Vacation days are usually based on the amount of time worked in a week. For example 3.5 hours of vacation time is earned on a bi-weekly pay period.
Overtime Pay
Overtime Pay - There can be overtime pay if schools are short staffed or a lot of work has to be completed to perform and meet a certain obligation or task. This pay is usually 1-1/2 times normal wages.
Health Care Coverage
Health Care Coverage - Coverages for health care not only vary from college to college but also from state to state. Health care packages are for individual and family medical expenses. Changes to health care policies can can year to year. These can best be discussed with the human resources department.
Dental and Eye Care
Dental and Eye Care - Dental and eye care is another benefit that is offered but in some cases an extra deduction and or co payment is necessary. Glasses generally can be purchased at a discounted price and this option is up to the employer and the policy provider.
Free Tuition
Free Tuition - This is a very valuable benefit if it is offered which most schools do offer to their employees and sometimes to their immediate families. If this offered it should be taken full advantage of. Education can make that next promotion or job opportunity much more tangible.
Uniform Supplemental Pay
Uniform Supplemental Pay - For some positions a uniform is required or special clothing. If it is required to wear a uniform the university generally supplements any clothing expenses.
Discount Tickets to Sporting Events
Discount Tickets to Sporting Events - Sporting events to support the students can be fun whether working for a college or not. If going to a sporting event most always employees get a discount.
Yearly Wage Increase
Yearly Wage Increase - Yearly wage increase is almost a guarantee to compensate for living wage. Some increases are more generous than others depending how well the school is doing in student enrollment.
Advancement Opportunities
Advancement Opportunities - Raises in pay or advancement opportunities come with any job and schools are always looking to advance their best employees to keep them with the organization.
To Sum Up
So as you can see there are great deal of benefits to working at a college or university. Schools are continually recruiting as new employees as positions open for the simple fact that some people retire, some move on to better paying jobs whether it be home or abroad. Other positions become available because employees might have had to be let go for example a reason like the employee was unreliable or was taking to much time off.
Securing a job with a college or university can bring about many years of experience for any individual who wants to provide a service for which most will be compensated 10 times over for a job well done.
Most everyone knows someone who works at a college or university and most once hired never leave until they retire. Why might you ask because exactly the reasons I tried to illustrate by writing this article.