At Walker I learned how to help children with lifelong challenges. But I also learned a lot about myself. Working there was the best decision I ever made.
Compensation & Benefits
At Walker, we believe that an employee’s professional growth requires a measure of security that comes from personal well-being and the ability to provide for the needs of their family. Walker offers competitive salaries, paid time off, and other benefits that can help our employees achieve a healthy and sustainable work/life balance.
Employees at Walker are offered a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical and dental insurance, a 401K retirement plan, paid sick and vacation time, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, short-term disability insurance, a critical care indemnity option, and undergraduate tuition remission.
Compensation Philosophy and Policy
Walker’s goal is to provide employees with salaries that are competitive with the public sector, commensurate with experience and education, and equitable across employment categories. Walker board members and senior management staff work continuously to improve the salary scales for our employees and believe that education and professional development are key areas of our salary program. While we continuously strive to improve compensation, Walker prides itself on offering higher pay rates than many of our competitors.
Medical and Dental Insurance
Walker offers two medical plans sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. Harvard has a wide network of medical service providers in Massachusetts. Employees can choose from a traditional HMO co-pay plan or an HMO deductible plan. Walker offers coverage for individual and families, including domestic partners.
Walker offers two options for dental insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield Dental. Blue Cross offers a wide network of providers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Employees can choose individual or family coverage, again including domestic partners.
Vacation and Leave Time
Annual leave time for new 12-month employees includes 22 days of vacation and holidays and is accrued on a weekly basis. Employees who remain at Walker for five years can earn up to 32 days of vacation and holidays. All qualifying employees also receive 40 sick/personal hours, pro-rated based on their hire date and status. Employees may “carry over” 60 hours of unused leave time from one year to the next.
School-based employees who work according to 10-month school calendar receive 5 sick/personal days in addition to school vacations and holidays. Teachers and clinicians who work an 11-month school calendar receive 10 sick/personal days in addition to school vacations and holidays. Assistant teachers who work a 12-month school calendar receive 5 sick/personal days in addition to school vacations and holidays. Walker Partnerships employees who work in an external school setting are subject to the vacation schedules established by the school district in which the employee is placed.
Additional information about the vacation and leave time policy is available in the Walker Benefits Summary.
Insurance
Life Insurance is provided to Walker employees by Unum. The plan is 100% paid for by Walker, with coverage up to $50,000. Accidental Death Insurance, Dismemberment Insurance, and Long-Term Disability Insurance are also provided at no cost to Walker employees by Unum.
Walker employees may purchase Short-Term Disability Insurance coverage through Dearborn National Insurance Company to cover the loss of income due to a non-occupational illness or injury.
Walker employees may purchase Group Accident Insurance from Aflac to help cover the costs associated with unexpected bills from a covered accident. Features include 24-hour coverage, no limit on the number of claims, payments regardless of any other additional insurance plans an employee may have, and benefits available to spouse and dependent children.
Walker employees may purchase Critical Illness Insurance through Aflac to help cover the costs associated with covered critical illnesses. This plan is a supplement to and not a substitute for a health care plan. Employees may purchase additional coverage for a spouse. Amounts of coverage range from $5,000 to $50,000 for an employee and $5,000 to $25,000 for an employee’s spouse.
Additional information about these insurance plans is available in the Walker Benefits Summary.
Retirement Plans
Walker offers a 401K and Roth 401K group retirement plans through MassMutual. The 401K group plan reduces the taxable income of participating employees, and taxes on earnings are deferred until they are withdrawn as income in retirement. Employees can set aside a portion of their earnings on a pre-tax basis. The Roth 401K group plan does not reduce the taxable income of participating employees and taxes are not deferred, but upon retirement, withdrawals are not taxable under most conditions.
Additional information about these retirement plans is available in the Walker Benefits Summary.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) are administered through ADP FlexDirect. The FSA plan allows employees to set aside a portion of each paycheck to pay for dependent care (daycare or eldercare expenses) or medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. Employees can enroll during the FSA open enrollment and can set aside up to $5000 per year for dependent care and $2000 per year for medical expenses.
Employee Assistance Program
Walker provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) throught Unum at no cost to the employee.
Tuition Remission
Tuition Remission (100%) is available to eligible employees in state-supported undergraduate higher education courses, provided by a grant from the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, subject to an annual funding review.
Metropolitan Credit Union
Through the Metro@Work program, participating Walker employees can benefit from Metropolitan Credit Unions’ payroll deduction to savings, checking accounts, and Christmas Club and Vacation Club programs. Metro also offers Internet banking, MetroNet telephone banking, auto loans, mortgages, home equity loans, and discounts on auto and homeowners insurance.
Citizens Bank
Citizens Bank currently offers Walker employees a complete personal banking package which includes: no-fee checking for one year, unlimited no-fee ATM transactions, free printing of checks, discounts on personal loans, bonus rates on savings accounts, free travelers checks, no-annual-fee credit card and overdraft protection (if you qualify), and free investment planning.
Direct Deposit
As a convenience, employees may direct their paychecks to be deposited directly into a checking or savings account (or a portion to both). Availability is subject to your banking institution’s approval.
Verizon Wireless
Walker employees are currently eligible for a 15% monthly discount on their Verizon Wireless Service. Employees can also receive discounts on equipment for new lines of service as well as eligible existing lines.
Discounted passes
Walker frequently offers employees discounted passes to a variety of area attractions such as Six Flags New England, Water Country, AMC Theatres, Showcase Cinemas, and Regal Cinemas.
Additional information about these employee benefits is available in the Walker Benefits Summary.