How to Get Extra Time Off at the Best Banks to Work For
August 28, 2016 9:00 PM
From tying the knot to working out, these institutions from our annual Best Banks to Work For list have given their employees inventive ways to earn extra time off.
Get Married
As a wedding gift, Guaranty Bank & Trust in Mount Pleasant, Texas, provides a week of paid time off to be used for the honeymoon.
Volunteer
Origin Bank in Ruston, La. (formerly called Community Trust Bank) gives employees 20 hours of paid time off annually to do volunteer work for charitable organizations.
Exercise
City Bank in Lubbock, Texas, gives employees extra cash and paid time off for exercising. In 2015, the total came to $148,825 and 5,226 hours of paid time off.
Spend Time with the Family
Machias Savings Bank started offering "family flex time" to all staff in 2013 and doubled the amount of time awarded this year.
Now employees receive 16 hours of paid time off to spend with their families beyond their normal vacation and sick days said Danielle Caricofe, a senior vice president in human resources at the bank in Machias, Maine.
Employees are encouraged to use that time to go to their children's athletic or school events. But, "we don't narrow the scope of 'family' to children," Caricofe said. "We know that family means something different to everyone, whether it be a spouse, child, parent, sibling or even a pet."
The intent of the flex time is to promote work-life balance, she said. "We used to say that we encourage you to spend time with your families and have a healthy work-life balance," Caricofe said. "Now we will pay you to do it."
Show Up Reliably
At 1st Summit Bank in Johnstown, Pa., two additional paid vacation days are granted for perfect attendance during the prior year.
Do a Great Job
At Civista Bank in Sandusky, Ohio, supervisors recognize employees for exceptional work and nominate them for paid time off as a reward.
Hit a Milestone
1st National Bank in Berlin, Wis., gives employees their birthdays off, fully paid.
Hit a Company Milestone
Employees at BankPlus in Ridgeland, Miss., get an extra day off for the anniversary of their date of hire each year, plus anniversary gifts every five years.
Ask for a Helping Hand
As part of its CARE (Centier Associates Reaching out to Everyone) program, Centier Bank in Merrillville, Ind., offers a paid-time-off "bank." Employees can donate their unused paid time off for co-workers who may need it and have already exhausted theirs.
Tell a Friend about a Job Opening
Centier also gives employees up to $350 and a paid day off for referring people to the bank who are hired. About half of the banks external hires come from these referrals.
Support Education
The Classroom Visitor Program at First Horizon in Memphis provides up to three hours of paid leave for employees to take part in educational activities in the community.
