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9 Tips for Part Time Jobs with Medical Benefits

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At one time, it would have been impossible to get medical benefits at a part-time job. Those jobs were reserved for students and housewives, who didn’t need health insurance because they already were covered from another source.

However, it is a testament to our evolving society that there are now part time jobs with medical benefits. Employers understand that people’s lifestyles no longer fit into a pretty little box with a bow, so they offer medical benefits to a variety of part time jobs.

As a business, you may be wondering about the pros and cons of offering medical benefits for part time jobs. There are mostly benefits, although you will need to coordinate the benefits management to reflect all your employees. To help you learn more, here are nine tips for part time jobs with medical benefits:

1. There are financial advantages to offering part time benefits.

Offering medical benefits for part time jobs can turn out to be a bonus for companies in the long run. Although Canadians benefit from free basic healthcare, all prescriptions and specialty services like chiropractic, dental, and physiotherapeutic services all cost, and they aren’t cheap.

It’s beneficial for companies, even those who hire primarily part-time workers, to offer medical benefits, because it leads to lower turnaround and higher loyalty of employees.

2. Most part-time workers appreciate the medical benefits.

The good news for people looking for part time jobs with medical benefits is that the practice is increasingly commonplace. Most Canadian companies already offer benefits to their part-time workers. According to a survey done by Hewitt Associates, about 91 per cent of Canadian companies offer medical benefits to their part-time employees.

3. You may be offered reduced medical benefits.

Although most part-time workers receive some kind of medical benefits, not all benefits are created equal. Many employers offer a reduced benefit package for their part-time employees, meaning it may cover a lower amount of fees over the course of the year, or may not offer as many benefits as full-time employees.

If you have received a job offer, don’t be afraid to ask questions about the medical benefits that come with the part time job. You should ask about what benefits you’ll be receiving, when they will kick into effect (often after you pass your three months probation), and any other questions you have regarding your benefits. Take care of yourself, and make sure the company you work for will too.

4. There are different types of medical benefits.

If the company you are working for is offering you benefits as a part-time employee, some of the things you can most often count on are basic, but decent, health and dental package. This means you will likely get at least some of your dental fees paid for, as well as partial payment for prescriptions and service providers like psychologists, chiropractors, and physiotherapists.

Some part time jobs will also include medical benefits like disability insurance, life insurance and worker’s compensation. However, these benefits are offered less frequently than those listed above.

5. You may need to meet minimum working hours

Some part time jobs with medical benefits will require employees to work a certain number of hours before being eligible. Almost half of Canadian companies require their employees to work 60 per cent of a full-time workload in order to receive any benefit package.

6. Medical benefits could come with a cost.

Although fairly uncommon, some companies do require their part-time employees to pay higher fees for their benefits to make up for the fact that they work fewer hours. These companies, however, would typically offer the same benefits package to their part-time employees as they do for their full-time employees.

Keep an eye out for this, even if you don’t mind paying the higher fees to get the same benefits package. It is important that you know the costs expected with medical benefits for part time jobs.

7. Some industries have more part time jobs with medical benefits.

There are a few specific industries that are likely to have part time jobs with medical benefits. Crown corporations and government organizations, big companies with large volumes of part-time employees, and restaurants, including fast-food restaurants. It is also possible to find benefits for part-time work at retail and grocery stores.

Working part-time will affect any public service plans you have, so it is important that you don’t forego the benefits that you have for a part-time job that isn’t going to cover you. Make sure you know what you have, what you’ll get, and what you’ll be gaining or losing.

8. You should compensate for any shortages in medical benefits.

If you do get hired on part time, and you do not have access to benefits through that job, it is a good idea to invest in a package for yourself. Although possible to go without, you never know when some kind of pain or illness is going to hit, and you’ll deeply regret not having anything to back you up if you require specialized medical services.

9. You could have more than one insurance coverage.

You may already have benefits with a full-time job, from a spouse, or because you are a student. If that’s the case, your primary benefit provider will always be the first benefit you claim.

However, you may use a secondary benefits provider to cover some of the costs that were not taken care of by the primary provider. Any rules and regulations about situations like this will be laid out by your benefits provider, as they do change from case to case.

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