Читать реферат по английскому: "Benefit Programs In The Airline Industry Essay" Страница 2

(Назад) (Cкачать работу)

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is currently the fastest growing airline in the business. Over the past 10 years Southwest have grown its revenues by 388% and its net income by 1,490%. Some of the things that have helped Southwest to grow so quickly are their personnel. They have found ways to hire employees that have out-performed every major airline for the past three years. Their hiring tactics can be accredited to a healthy business network, in-depth research, a good job database, strong recruiting staff, and an outstanding benefits program. Southwest offers its employees a very competitive benefits program. Their program offers passes and travel privileges, medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, long term disability insurance, sick leave, vacation and holiday pay, profit-sharing, 401 (k) plan, stock purchase plan, and a employee assistance plan. One of the special benefits to working at Southwest is flying for free on Southwest and flying free or at a reduced rate on other carriers with whom Southwest has a pass agreement. Effective from the first day of employment, all employees, their spouses, dependant children, and parents of employees all have unlimited travel privileges on Southwest. An employee may view this as a huge benefit when they decide they would like to travel. On the downside of this part of the benefit program, Southwest does not fly everywhere in the United States, and that may pose a problem for an employee that would like to travel somewhere that Southwest does not offer service. Another benefit is Southwest s medical, dental, and life insurance plans. Employees may choose to incorporate their families with their medical and dental plans in order to save the employee money. The medical and dental plans will cover 100% of the employee s medical and dental needs, as well as their families needs, with minimal cost to the employee. For the life insurance plan, employees may choose coverage up to 4 times their base annual income in order to protect their family. The long-term disability program is set up in case an employee becomes disabled and can no longer work. Funds are still paid to the family in order to compensate for the employee s inability to work due to disability. Depending on employment classifications, employees are able to gather time off for personal illness and vacations. Employees celebrate several paid holidays throughout the calendar year, based on their employment classification. Southwest offers its employees a 401-(k) plan. The plan is designed to help employee s plan for their retirement. Eligible employees may contribute up to 15% of their pay to the plan on a pre-tax basis. Employees direct their investments and may borrow against their account balance. Employees are the basic fiber of Southwest Airlines, so they feel that employees should be able to share in the success of the company by investing in Southwest Airlines Co. stock through payroll reductions. Employees pay only 90% of the market value for the stock, and broker commissions are paid for by Southwest. Southwest cares very much for their employees well being. They offer their employees an assistance plan that helps when employees need it most. The plan provides professional assistance for employees and their families in order to solve personal problems that may arise that would cause their personal lives and job performance to suffer. Southwest Airlines realizes that without its employees the company would cease to work. Southwest offers these benefits to help keep their employees happy and provided for and in return their employees strive to keep Southwest on top.

United Airlines

United Airlines is a true global airline that has over 140 stations in more than 30 countries around the world. United prides itself on being a company where opportunity and advancement are determined solely on merit and individual achievement. United supposedly values diversity not only because it is the correct thing to do, but because it is the right business thing to do. United s stated position is that all employees should be treated with respect and dignity. The policy not only extends to employees, but to United s customers, vendors, and independent contractors as well. Some of the benefits that United offers to its employees are; company-paid medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance, pension plan, paid vacations, travel passes, stock purchase plan, 401(k) plan, and credit union.

Going against the company s policy, United Airlines has been in litigation with the city of San Francisco concerning the Equal Benefits Law . Last year United Airlines supposedly negotiated a two-year exemption from the law in order to renew a 25-year lease with the San Francisco Airport. After opposing letters from the National Writers Union (NWU) United Airlines has joined with Air Transportation Association (ATA) in a lawsuit against the city of San Francisco challenging the ordinance. United claimed they never made an agreement with San Francisco and has not yet made a commitment to providing domestic partner benefits. The ordinance states that any entity that contracts with the city of San Francisco must provide equal benefits to its employees registered domestic partners that it provides to married spouses. Out of its 94,000 hired employees, United currently has approximately 10,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees.

We believe that United is not very committed to diversity. It is obvious to see that United is trying to limit their benefit packages to those individuals that are not registered domestic partners. Some states still do not recognize domestic partners as legal binding marriages, and as a result, these individuals cannot receive equal benefits.

United s problem is that almost 11% of its total workforce is comprised of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, or transgenders. If United

Похожие работы