Employee Benefits Checklist

Educational PurposeThis checklist helps employees review and compare workplace benefits beyond salary alone.

Use it when:

• ☐Starting a new job.
• ☐Reviewing annual enrollment options.
• ☐Comparing job offers.
• ☐Preparing for a promotion or transfer.
• ☐Experiencing a major family change.
• ☐Planning to leave an employer.
• ☐Evaluating the full value of compensation.

Benefits vary by employer and plan. Always review official plan documents before making decisions.

Part 1: Employment Information

Employment status

• ☐Full-time
• ☐Part-time
• ☐Temporary
• ☐Seasonal
• ☐Contract
• ☐Other

Part 2: Health Insurance

Coverage offered

• ☐Employee only
• ☐Employee and spouse
• ☐Employee and child or children
• ☐Family coverage
• ☐No employer health plan offered

Plan type

• ☐HMO
• ☐PPO
• ☐EPO
• ☐High-deductible health plan
• ☐Other

Review before enrolling

• ☐Preferred primary-care provider is in network
• ☐Preferred specialists are in network
• ☐Preferred hospital is in network
• ☐Current prescriptions are covered
• ☐Mental-health services are covered
• ☐Urgent-care benefits are understood
• ☐Emergency-care rules are understood
• ☐Out-of-network coverage is understood
• ☐Referral requirements are understood
• ☐Prior-authorization rules are understood
• ☐Maternity and newborn benefits are reviewed
• ☐Rehabilitation or therapy benefits are reviewed
• ☐Durable medical equipment benefits are reviewed

Part 3: Prescription Benefits

Copayments or coinsurance

• ☐Current medications are on the formulary
• ☐Mail-order options are available
• ☐Preferred pharmacies are identified
• ☐Specialty-pharmacy requirements are understood
• ☐Prior-authorization requirements are understood
• ☐Quantity limits are understood

Part 4: Dental Insurance

Coverage reviewed

• ☐Preventive examinations
• ☐Cleanings
• ☐X-rays
• ☐Fillings
• ☐Crowns
• ☐Root canals
• ☐Oral surgery
• ☐Dentures
• ☐Orthodontic treatment
• ☐Pediatric dental care
• ☐Adult orthodontic coverage
• ☐Waiting periods
• ☐Network restrictions

Preferred dentist in network

• ☐Yes
• ☐No
• ☐Unsure

Part 5: Vision Insurance

Coverage reviewed

• ☐Routine eye examination
• ☐Frames
• ☐Lenses
• ☐Contact lenses
• ☐Lens upgrades
• ☐Frequency limits
• ☐Network providers
• ☐Discounts on additional purchases

Part 6: Health Savings and Spending Accounts

Health Savings Account

• ☐Eligible for a Health Savings Account
• ☐Not eligible
• ☐Unsure

• ☐Contribution limit reviewed
• ☐Account is portable if employment ends
• ☐Investment options are available
• ☐Eligible expenses are understood
• ☐Beneficiary is named
• ☐Receipts will be retained

Flexible Spending Account

• ☐Healthcare Flexible Spending Account available
• ☐Dependent-care Flexible Spending Account available
• ☐Limited-purpose Flexible Spending Account available

• ☐Use-it-or-lose-it rules reviewed
• ☐Carryover rules reviewed
• ☐Grace period reviewed
• ☐Eligible expenses reviewed
• ☐Claim-submission deadline recorded

Part 7: Retirement Benefits

Retirement plan offered

• ☐401(k)
• ☐403(b)
• ☐457 plan
• ☐Pension
• ☐Profit-sharing plan
• ☐Employee stock ownership plan
• ☐Other
• ☐No employer retirement plan

Review the match

• ☐Match formula is understood
• ☐Contribution required to receive full match is understood
• ☐Contribution election has been completed
• ☐Automatic escalation is available
• ☐Roth contribution option is available
• ☐Pretax contribution option is available

Vesting — my own contributions are:

• ☐Immediately vested
• ☐Unsure

Employer contributions vest:

• ☐Immediately
• ☐Gradually
• ☐After a stated period
• ☐Unsure

Investment and account review

• ☐Beneficiary is current
• ☐Investment choices have been reviewed
• ☐Fees have been reviewed
• ☐Target-date fund option reviewed
• ☐Loan rules reviewed
• ☐Hardship-withdrawal rules reviewed
• ☐Rollover options understood
• ☐Previous employer accounts have been located

Part 8: Life Insurance

Employer-paid life insurance

• ☐Offered
• ☐Not offered
• ☐Unsure

Coverage formula

• ☐Flat amount
• ☐Multiple of salary
• ☐Other

Optional employee-paid coverage

• ☐Additional employee coverage available
• ☐Spouse coverage available
• ☐Child coverage available

• ☐Beneficiary is current
• ☐Secondary beneficiary is named
• ☐Coverage amount is adequate for family needs
• ☐Portability or conversion options reviewed
• ☐Coverage end date after employment reviewed
• ☐Evidence-of-insurability requirements reviewed

Part 9: Disability Insurance

Short-Term Disability

• ☐Employer-paid
• ☐Employee-paid
• ☐Not offered
• ☐Unsure

Long-Term Disability

• ☐Employer-paid
• ☐Employee-paid
• ☐Not offered
• ☐Unsure

Important questions

• ☐Definition of disability reviewed
• ☐Partial-disability benefits reviewed
• ☐Base salary versus total compensation reviewed
• ☐Bonuses and commissions included or excluded
• ☐Tax treatment of benefits reviewed
• ☐Preexisting-condition limitations reviewed
• ☐Portability after employment reviewed

Part 10: Paid Time Off and Leave

Policy review

• ☐Accrual method understood
• ☐Maximum carryover understood
• ☐Use-it-or-lose-it rules understood
• ☐Approval requirements understood
• ☐Unused-leave payout policy reviewed
• ☐Waiting period for new employees reviewed

Additional leave

• ☐Paid parental leave
• ☐Unpaid parental leave
• ☐Family-care leave
• ☐Bereavement leave
• ☐Military leave
• ☐Jury-duty leave
• ☐Medical leave
• ☐Caregiver leave
• ☐Sabbatical
• ☐Other

Part 11: Family and Caregiving Benefits

• ☐Childcare assistance
• ☐Backup childcare
• ☐Dependent-care account
• ☐Adoption assistance
• ☐Fertility benefits
• ☐Paid parental leave
• ☐Elder-care resources
• ☐Caregiver support
• ☐Employee-assistance program
• ☐Family counseling
• ☐Legal-assistance program
• ☐College-planning support
• ☐Other

Part 12: Workplace Flexibility

• ☐Remote work
• ☐Hybrid work
• ☐Flexible start and end times
• ☐Compressed workweek
• ☐Part-time scheduling
• ☐Job sharing
• ☐Shift selection
• ☐Predictable scheduling
• ☐Reduced schedule during certain periods
• ☐Work-from-another-location policy
• ☐Other

Questions to clarify

Is flexibility permanent or temporary?

• ☐Permanent
• ☐Temporary
• ☐Unsure

Is manager approval required?

• ☐Yes
• ☐No

Can the arrangement be changed later?

• ☐Yes
• ☐No
• ☐Unsure

Are specific in-office days required?

• ☐Yes
• ☐No

Part 13: Education and Career Development

• ☐Tuition reimbursement
• ☐Tuition assistance
• ☐Student-loan assistance
• ☐Certification reimbursement
• ☐License-renewal reimbursement
• ☐Continuing-education support
• ☐Professional membership reimbursement
• ☐Conference attendance
• ☐Leadership-development program
• ☐Mentorship
• ☐Coaching
• ☐Internal training
• ☐Career-path planning
• ☐Other

• ☐Grade requirements reviewed
• ☐Eligible programs reviewed
• ☐Repayment requirements reviewed
• ☐Employment commitment reviewed
• ☐Approval process understood
• ☐Tax treatment reviewed where applicable

Part 14: Compensation Beyond Salary

• ☐Annual bonus
• ☐Performance bonus
• ☐Commission
• ☐Profit sharing
• ☐Stock options
• ☐Restricted stock
• ☐Employee stock-purchase plan
• ☐Signing bonus
• ☐Retention bonus
• ☐Referral bonus
• ☐Shift differential
• ☐Overtime
• ☐On-call pay
• ☐Travel reimbursement
• ☐Vehicle allowance
• ☐Mobile-phone allowance
• ☐Home-office allowance
• ☐Other

Compensation details

Part 15: Additional Workplace Benefits

• ☐Employee-assistance program
• ☐Wellness program
• ☐Gym membership or discount
• ☐Mental-health support
• ☐Financial counseling
• ☐Legal services
• ☐Identity-theft protection
• ☐Pet insurance
• ☐Critical-illness coverage
• ☐Accident insurance
• ☐Hospital-indemnity coverage
• ☐Long-term care coverage
• ☐Commuter benefits
• ☐Parking assistance
• ☐Public-transit assistance
• ☐Meal benefits
• ☐Employee discounts
• ☐Relocation assistance
• ☐Other

Part 16: Benefit Costs

Part 17: Benefits Comparison Between Job Offers

Part 18: Major Life-Change Review

Review benefits after:

• ☐Marriage
• ☐Divorce
• ☐Birth or adoption
• ☐Death of a beneficiary
• ☐Child becomes ineligible for coverage
• ☐New medical diagnosis
• ☐Spouse changes employment
• ☐Move to another state
• ☐Promotion
• ☐Reduction in hours
• ☐Leave of absence
• ☐Retirement planning
• ☐Other

Part 19: Leaving the Employer

Before resigning, retiring, or changing jobs, confirm:

• ☐Final day of health coverage
• ☐Health-coverage continuation options
• ☐Retirement-account options
• ☐Vesting status
• ☐Outstanding retirement-plan loan
• ☐Final paycheck date
• ☐Bonus or commission eligibility
• ☐Unused-leave payment
• ☐Life-insurance conversion or portability
• ☐Disability-insurance end date
• ☐Health savings account remains mine
• ☐Flexible-spending account deadlines
• ☐Tuition or signing-bonus repayment requirements
• ☐Stock-option deadlines
• ☐Employee-assistance access end date
• ☐Required return of company property

Part 20: My Benefits Action List