treebing
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Detroit, Mi.
Right? However, that seems to be the accepted approach for big business in America today.
Finding a quality crew leader
- Thread starter borotrees
- Start date
- Location
- North of Seattle
treecareinc. - your post explaining Retirement costs was great. I will look into it.
These are issue that I have begun to grapple with (9 years self employ) and a good crew is all it is about. Living wages. The socialist inside me...
p.s. - Health insurance (expensive) for sure. I pay myself a pitance to keep on State endorsed health care plan. 3 kids and wife could be real costly. Hate to think what it runs to insure lead man.
Sorry to tease Dayton via wikipedia. Looks like you are from the big city from my chair! I live in a town of 80 thousand, crappy market here. Ocean, Mtn, stress free, nice people. More money south 2 hrs in Seattle. They can have it.
These are issue that I have begun to grapple with (9 years self employ) and a good crew is all it is about. Living wages. The socialist inside me...
p.s. - Health insurance (expensive) for sure. I pay myself a pitance to keep on State endorsed health care plan. 3 kids and wife could be real costly. Hate to think what it runs to insure lead man.
Sorry to tease Dayton via wikipedia. Looks like you are from the big city from my chair! I live in a town of 80 thousand, crappy market here. Ocean, Mtn, stress free, nice people. More money south 2 hrs in Seattle. They can have it.
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God, so annoying that companies are expected to take care of health insurance. I cant think of anything better than a single payer system. The Health Insurance that I can offer isn't worth a damn anyway. Ive sometimes thought the best plan would be to only hire part time workers, pay them just enough so they still qualify for medicaid. This is like Wal Mart and a lot of the box stores business plan.
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I am an arborist, not a HR expert. I have spent many hours trying to sort through the various health insurance options and plans. I actually selected bad insurance by accident about 3 years ago and we were stuck with it for a year.
As an employer I have no business choosing your health care! The right plan for me may not be right for you. People's age and family status play a big part in this choice, yet the system forces me to make that choice for you.
These plans are designed to confuse and mislead. Half the time the agent's don't even know what the real coverage is... When something goes wrong for an employee with insurance I feel like it's my fault... There are so many rules to get coverage and if you make a mistake you are on your own. Our health care system isn't workable!
We will offer health insurance until the system changes, but I do agree that putting health care in an employers hands is ridiculous!
God, so annoying that companies are expected to take care of health insurance. I cant think of anything better than a single payer system. The Health Insurance that I can offer isn't worth a damn anyway. Ive sometimes thought the best plan would be to only hire part time workers, pay them just enough so they still qualify for medicaid. This is like Wal Mart and a lot of the box stores business plan.
[/ QUOTE ]
I am an arborist, not a HR expert. I have spent many hours trying to sort through the various health insurance options and plans. I actually selected bad insurance by accident about 3 years ago and we were stuck with it for a year.
As an employer I have no business choosing your health care! The right plan for me may not be right for you. People's age and family status play a big part in this choice, yet the system forces me to make that choice for you.
These plans are designed to confuse and mislead. Half the time the agent's don't even know what the real coverage is... When something goes wrong for an employee with insurance I feel like it's my fault... There are so many rules to get coverage and if you make a mistake you are on your own. Our health care system isn't workable!
We will offer health insurance until the system changes, but I do agree that putting health care in an employers hands is ridiculous!
matdand
Participating member
- Location
- Montreal, Qc
Just move to Canada!!!!
marlinspiker
Participating member
- Location
- Pennsyltucky
maybe you guys can invade? ill leave the door open.
- Location
- North of Seattle
I'll toss in case of Molsen beer.
marlinspiker
Participating member
- Location
- Pennsyltucky
haha its a deal. can we still have baseball?
matdand
Participating member
- Location
- Montreal, Qc
It's Molson with an O. And you only get the Blue Jays!!!
- Location
- North of Seattle
No deal on baseball, Canada. It is all I have...
But you can have the Yankees, that would give the Seattle Mariners a chance. Blue Jays can play them all year.
Yeah, I forgot how to spell Molson. Been 7 years since my wife cut me off... I can't even remember how it tastes.
But you can have the Yankees, that would give the Seattle Mariners a chance. Blue Jays can play them all year.
Yeah, I forgot how to spell Molson. Been 7 years since my wife cut me off... I can't even remember how it tastes.
- Location
- Harrisburg, Mo.
I have guys asking about insurance, I checked into it and to get the premium afordable, the deductible is so outrageous the employee's would not be able to afford it. How is that considered a "benefit."
The retirement does seem like an easier route.
The retirement does seem like an easier route.
TCIA Wage and Benefit Survey 2009
Apparently, of the TCIA members surveyed, only 40% offer health insurance and only 35% offer 401k. So it seems to be normal in our industry to not have these benefits.
In Ohio if you have a child under 18 and make less than 40k per year you are eligible for State Medicaid. If you do not have any children under 18 it is very hard to qualify for medicaid.
Hospitals are required to treat you with same level of care despite your ability to pay in the United States. I have never tested this, but assume it's true. If you don't have insurance you will be billed for these services. If you cannot pay they will attempt to collect from you. If you have assets they will attempt to take them and your credit will be negatively effected. If you don't have assets and aren't real worried about your credit, why get insurance?
Currently I have a son that was born 3 months premature that has been in the NICU for 2 months. He hasn't required any major surgeries or procedures. Our bill is near 600K. We should be around 700K to 800K when this is all over. Without insurance I would be bankrupt for sure...
Apparently, of the TCIA members surveyed, only 40% offer health insurance and only 35% offer 401k. So it seems to be normal in our industry to not have these benefits.
In Ohio if you have a child under 18 and make less than 40k per year you are eligible for State Medicaid. If you do not have any children under 18 it is very hard to qualify for medicaid.
Hospitals are required to treat you with same level of care despite your ability to pay in the United States. I have never tested this, but assume it's true. If you don't have insurance you will be billed for these services. If you cannot pay they will attempt to collect from you. If you have assets they will attempt to take them and your credit will be negatively effected. If you don't have assets and aren't real worried about your credit, why get insurance?
Currently I have a son that was born 3 months premature that has been in the NICU for 2 months. He hasn't required any major surgeries or procedures. Our bill is near 600K. We should be around 700K to 800K when this is all over. Without insurance I would be bankrupt for sure...
treebing
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Detroit, Mi.
TCI, Good on you for running a top notch outfit. You have got some of the best in the world working for you and from what i hear from them you put your employees first and really care for them. In regard to the original post, you have great credibility.
easyphloem
Branched out member
- Location
- Louisville, KY
[ QUOTE ]
TCI, Good on you for running a top notch outfit. You have got some of the best in the world working for you and from what i hear from them you put your employees first and really care for them. In regard to the original post, you have great credibility.
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Agreed.
SZ
TCI, Good on you for running a top notch outfit. You have got some of the best in the world working for you and from what i hear from them you put your employees first and really care for them. In regard to the original post, you have great credibility.
[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed.
SZ
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
TCI, Good on you for running a top notch outfit. You have got some of the best in the world working for you and from what i hear from them you put your employees first and really care for them. In regard to the original post, you have great credibility.
[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed.
SZ
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That's a big time compliment. I appreciate it greatly.
There are ton of great companies out there... You can find good benefits if you look, but we are very lucky have the group of people that we do at TCI. It is the people that I work with that make this place what it is!
The issue of health insurance and retirement are very important to me. I am sorry to have derailed this thread. I love this industry and hope that in the future these benefits become more available to professional arborists!!! We work too hard to go without!
[ QUOTE ]
TCI, Good on you for running a top notch outfit. You have got some of the best in the world working for you and from what i hear from them you put your employees first and really care for them. In regard to the original post, you have great credibility.
[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed.
SZ
[/ QUOTE ]
That's a big time compliment. I appreciate it greatly.
There are ton of great companies out there... You can find good benefits if you look, but we are very lucky have the group of people that we do at TCI. It is the people that I work with that make this place what it is!
The issue of health insurance and retirement are very important to me. I am sorry to have derailed this thread. I love this industry and hope that in the future these benefits become more available to professional arborists!!! We work too hard to go without!
A few points about health insurance and 401k...
My company and I have to use whatever plans I put into play.
I really don't like my doctor being chosen for me. I like even less cookie cutter health care. We are tree people, do you treat all your trees the same?
That being said, like my tools, I want the good stuff. The problem with providing a health plan is that for a group, you must have participation. Guys will not participate unless it's free (that word makes me sick when we are talking about just about anything- someone is ALWAYS paying). Family insurance costs about $7 per hour of work($280 week). With this not being in the cost structure of 65% of the companies out there, puts the operation at a competitive disadvantage. Something you should definitely consider.
Add the cost of a 401 and now you are talking some pretty significant costs over 65% of the companies.
The issue that I have come across is that employees do not consider the $10 hr of benefits they are offered. They look at their $14 hr and think they are underpaid because Richard's tree service will pay them $20 hr.
I think these benefits are worthwhile for certain, but they aren't cheap, so you will not be able to be either. The thought process of the employee will need to be coped with frequently as far as the wage aspects.
You can have good. You can have cheap. But you are not going to get both.
My company and I have to use whatever plans I put into play.
I really don't like my doctor being chosen for me. I like even less cookie cutter health care. We are tree people, do you treat all your trees the same?
That being said, like my tools, I want the good stuff. The problem with providing a health plan is that for a group, you must have participation. Guys will not participate unless it's free (that word makes me sick when we are talking about just about anything- someone is ALWAYS paying). Family insurance costs about $7 per hour of work($280 week). With this not being in the cost structure of 65% of the companies out there, puts the operation at a competitive disadvantage. Something you should definitely consider.
Add the cost of a 401 and now you are talking some pretty significant costs over 65% of the companies.
The issue that I have come across is that employees do not consider the $10 hr of benefits they are offered. They look at their $14 hr and think they are underpaid because Richard's tree service will pay them $20 hr.
I think these benefits are worthwhile for certain, but they aren't cheap, so you will not be able to be either. The thought process of the employee will need to be coped with frequently as far as the wage aspects.
You can have good. You can have cheap. But you are not going to get both.
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Fruit tree holding on by a thread, client wants to get another year out of it. Thoughts?- Started by climbingmonkey24
- Replies: 30
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