Assistance Programs for Employees
Improve Employee Satisfaction and Retention With Free Resources
Oct 14, 2009
In an economic recession, many small business employees have financial trouble because a spouse lost his or her job or because they don't have medical insurance and a family member's illness has created some large hospital bills.
While most business owners will simply want to help employees out because they empathize with them, a staff member's financial well being is actually important for the employer's bottom line, as well. An employee who isn't stressed by worries about food, shelter and other basic necessities can work more productively and has better morale. In addition, he or she is more likely to be satisfied with his or her current job.
Unfortunately, when a small business owner is barely scraping by, he or she can't afford to raise employee salaries or to give big year end bonuses to deserving staff members. Does this mean that improving employee satisfaction and retention is impossible? Not at all. There are many assistance programs that can help employees make ends meet. If a small business owner takes the time to find out about different programs and makes the information available in a non-invasive manner, staff members may become aware of a program that can meet their needs.
Health Insurance Assistance for Employees
Amidst the furor over a national health care program, many people overlook programs available right now on a state level. Quite a few employees are under the impression that these programs are only available to people who are homeless, completely unemployed and poverty stricken. However, most programs have a fairly high income allowance and will allow coverage to people who may consider themselves to be middle class.
For example, according to the Maryland Children's Health Program, a Maryland parent without any health insurance coverage and one child can make as much as $21,660 a year and still receive health care for his or her child. A pregnant woman with an unborn child can make $36,425 a year.
There is also a new Medical Assistance for Families program that covers the whole family when they meet income limits. For those employees who don't have children or who don't meet the income limits for these programs, the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (marylandhealthinsuranceplan.state.md.us) offers a health care option that is based on loss of coverage, denial of coverage due to medical conditions, or the end of Cobra benefits.
Food Assistance Help Resources for Employees
Employees who are trying to keep up with rising food costs may not be aware that they can get food assistance or can find low cost food through a group of programs and resources that help people keep their families fed. Programs range from reduced breakfast and lunch meals for school children to WIC programs for children under five and pregnant women. People with larger families who earn $40,000 or more a year may still qualify for many of these programs.
People who don't qualify for these resources can still get help with their grocery needs through organizations like Angel Food Ministries, which sells a box of food designed to feed four people for a week for $30 and distributes the boxes through local churches in many communities. Prarielandfood.com has a similar program for several mid-western states, but requires a few hours of community service along with the low fee for the box of food.
While health insurance assistance and food distribution programs may not solve all of a struggling employee's problems, they can alleviate a lot of stress and cash flow problems. Simply finding as many of these helpful resources as possible and making information about them available to staff members can help small business owners improve employee satisfaction and retention levels.
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