These Companies Offer The Best Benefits

What comes to mind when you hear the word “benefits”? When I was freelancing and dreaming of a salaried job, I used the term as shorthand for health insurance and paid vacation days. And, for too many full-time employees, that’s often where the list stops. But for some lucky workers, perks can go way beyond check-ups and time off — benefits range from catered meals to generous paid parental leave and free passes to amusement parks (really). This week, job site Glassdoor released its 2016 list of the 20 companies that offer the best benefits — and no surprise, it's mostly tech operations that are providing their employees with amazing perks. Netflix grabbed the No. 1 spot for, among other reasons, offering a full year of paid parental leave and allowing employees to return part-time at the end of their 12 months. Outdoor retailer REI comes in second. The employee-owned company provides “Yay Days” — paid time off so workers can hit the great outdoors. Airbnb (No. 6 on the list) gives employees a $2,000 stipend, so they can stay at one of its listings anywhere in the world. For the full list of employers, including Spotify, Walt Disney, and Twitter, check out Glassdoor’s blog post. You can also peep job openings at those companies while you’re there — we won’t tell your boss.