MAIN Business Office Life Job Benefits

With health care and hospitalization costs continuing to spiral out of control in the U.S., it's not uncommon to see prospective employees putting equal value on both salary and benefits before accepting a job offer.

Even if you're currently employed, it's never safe to assume that you'll be totally covered by your job's plan so it's always a good idea to read the fine print.

Also remember better skills, education, and experience will often translate into a better position for negotiating a benefits package - whether it's health care, continuing education opportunities, or a secure retirement plan.

Check out top resources, below, to finding out more about basic job benefits typically offered in the U.S. job market, including top companies offering the most generous job perks, plus tips and advice on getting the most out of your healthcare package, insurance, retirement or 401(k) plan...

More about job benefits around the Web:

Benefits Features - Great resources from Monster.com with a collection of feature stories covering topics such as healthcare, stock options, retirement plans, benefits for expats, disability coverage and more.

Evaluating Your Benefits Package - Geared toward the college grad with valuable tips on what's out there in terms of healthcare coverage, life insurance and 401(k) plans plus more on tuition reimbursement, commuting reimbursement and other perks that go above and beyond the typical package.

100 Best Companies to Work For - Benefits - Fortune 500 annual survey of over a dozen top companies with the best employee benefits and perks.

Fidelity: About 401(k)'s - An extensive guide to the company-sponsored savings plan, including advice on why you should invest as much as you can - plus more on tax advantages, withdrawals, contribution limits and staying invested after a job change.

U.S. Department of Labor - Health Plans & Benefits - The motherlode of information on COBRA, consumer information on health plan benefits, participant rights, health benefit portability, recent changes in health care law and related information.

Fundamentals of Employee Benefit Programs - The complete publication available for download with information on typical & health benefits plans, retirement benefits, paid leave, group life insurance, and related topics.

also see in Small Business -> Health Care Insurance