Report: Greater Employee Participation in Employer-Paid Benefits

The BLS survey found that nearly all employees with access to defined benefit pension plans, life insurance plans, and disability benefit plans participated in these employer-paid benefit plans. While 70% of workers had access to medical plans, only 53% participated. Fifty three percent of workers surveyed had access to a defined contribution plan, but only 42% participated.

The BLS also found that participation in non-employer-paid benefits varied according to the employees’ earnings. Seventy six percent of white collar workers with access to medical benefit plans participated in those plans, while 61% of service workers participated in medical plans offered them. Similarly, 85% of workers earning $15 an hour or more participated in a defined contribution plan and 70% of those earning under $15 an hour participated in their defined contribution plan.

Other key findings in the BLS survey include:

• 21% of employees participated in defined benefit retirement plans and 42% participated in defined contribution retirement plans.
• Paid leave was the most commonly provided employee benefit in the private sector – 77% of employees were offered paid holidays and vacations, 69% were offered paid jury duty leave, and 48% were offered paid military leave.

• 63% of private firms offered health insurance benefits and about 50% offered at least one type of retirement plan.
• Employee contributions toward medical coverage averaged $273.03 per month for family plans and $68.96 per month for single coverage.
• 52% of employees had access to life insurance plans and 49% participated.
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits were offered to 40% and 30% of employees, respectively, and nearly all participated.

The complete report of survey results can be found here .