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Benefits and Perks

Content Maintainers
Megan Pittman
Clyde Stackhouse

Global Benefits Strategy & Stipend

Healthcare Benefits (US)

Retirement

Stipends

Workplace Rental

Employee Discounts

Wellness Program

Global Benefits Strategy & Stipend​

Benefits Strategy & Philosophy​

As a global company, below are our guiding principles that we follow when designing our benefit and perks programs, globally.

  • We strive to provide benefits that are both locally relevant and competitive.
    • Each Country’s benefits will differ based on local norms and local competition for benefits.
  • Our benefit offerings and coverage will grow and progress as team sizes grow in each country. This is due to economies of scale and eligibility of various plans we can offer.
    • If local teams aren’t large enough to begin group plans, we’ll provide monthly stipends to cover core benefits (Medical, Vision & Dental - where applicable)
  • Values aligned: We are Human → Although we may not be able to implement every benefit or offering,we understand that we bring our whole selves to work and we want to hear and respond to feedback.

How does this apply today?​

Today our global team falls into one of two buckets.

Employed through an EOR (Employee of Record) - Employees that are hired and work for an EOR are subject to the benefits offerings that are provided through their service. However, we will operate within our philosophy above which means we will elect premium coverage and options as they become available through the EOR. Additionally, all related perks remain available and intact for team members employed through an EOER (ie. Office stipends, Professional Development, etc).

Employed through a dbt Labs local entity - Employees that are hired and work for local entities in a country with less than 10 local employees will be provided a locally relevant and competitive monthly stipend amount to reimburse some of the cost associated with finding personal coverage for core supplemental benefits (Medical, Vision & Dental), where applicable. All mandatory benefits, pension schemes, etc. will be provided to comply with local laws and regulations.

As employee counts grow to locally relevant critical mass for group plans, we will work with our Global Benefits Broker to shop and obtain group plans that would replace the stipend amount. It’s important to note that our employee count has a direct impact on the options and plans that will be available and we will only pursue this when it benefits the employees in each location.

Local Entity Medical Benefit Stipends​

The following stipend amounts have been developed to help cover some of the cost to acquire additional supplemental insurance until we are able to offer local group plans. You can use this stipend to cover core benefits like medical, dental, vision, life & disability for yourself and dependents, if applicable.

Monthly Stipend Amount​

Country# Gross Stipend Amount (Local Currency)Local Currency
Australia673AUD
Germany183EUR
Ireland274EUR
New Zealand730NZD
United Kingdom268GBP
Sweden1418SEK
Finland183EUR
Canada625CAD

Receiving the Benefits Stipend​

The benefits stipend will automatically be added to your monthly payroll. You do not need to request a reimbursement.

Retirement & Pension Plans​

We look to target locally relevant and competitive benefit options. Retirement and pension plans fall under the same philosophy. We are currently working towards getting each required pension scheme and retirement plan solidified and will update here once we have more information.

Healthcare Benefits (US)​

Full-time team members based in the US are eligible to enroll in healthcare benefits through dbt Labs. We provide medical, dental and vision benefits to employees and their dependents as well as FSA, DCFSA, and HSA options.

Health benefits are paid, in part, by the company. The remainder of the costs is the employee’s responsibility.

An overview of our benefits can be found here and find a detailed overview on our benefits website.

The details our benefits can be found on the benefit website.

How To Enroll in Healthcare Benefits (US)​

Benefit enrollment takes place through ADP and you can learn more about the process here.

There are four separate occasions where team members may enroll in, or change, benefits throughout the calendar year.

  1. New Hire Enrollment: New hires may enroll themselves and dependents in health benefits online through ADP within the first 30 days of employment. There is a strict 30 day enrollment window. After benefit elections are submitted, enrollments go into effect as of your first day of employment (your start date) at dbt Labs.
  2. Open Enrollment:dbt Labs has an annual Open Enrollment (OE) at the end of the calendar year, typically in November or early December. During open enrollment, team members have the opportunity to review or change their benefit elections. Benefit enrollments go into effect January 1st of the following calendar year.
  3. Qualifying Life Event:There are times when life changes unexpectedly. Often times, those events may happen outside of Open Enrollment (OE). Enrollment in essential health coverage is allowed outside of OE if you experience a qualifying life event. Examples of QLEs include marriage, childbirth, and loss of coverage. Team members can submit a life event online in ADP.
  4. Year Round HSA Adjustment: Employees who currently have a High Deductible Health Plan coverage selection are able to adjust their HSA contributions throughout the year. This is the only benefit adjustment that does not require a Qualifying Life or Work Event.

How to Get Support with Healthcare Benefits (US)​

We understand there are a lot of questions about chosing and navigating healthcare.

Learn how to ask questions through our partner Newfront Answers here.

Medical Plans (US)​

Learn more about our medical plans here.

Disability and Life Insurance (US)​

We provide long term and short term disability as well as life insurance coverage to all US-based employees at no cost. Voluntary, additional, life insurance coverage for employees and dependants is available at the expense of the employee.

Learn more:

Eligibility Requirement: US employees enrolled in dbt Labs' health benefits.

📌 We believe that it’s imperative that our team members have access to the quality healthcare that they need, no matter where they live. Therefore, dbt Labs will reimburse up to $4,000 in travel expenses annually1 for any U.S. team member (including their dependent(s)) who requires healthcare that is not available in their state of residence.

Many states have introduced legislation to reduce or restrict access to critical healthcare, including abortion care and gender-affirming care. This is in direct conflict with our values at dbt Labs and this policy is designed to support access to adequate healthcare for our team members across the United States who do not have access where they live.

Eligible travel expenses include:

  • Transportation (reasonable flights, trains, taxis, buses, etc)
  • Reasonable Lodging
  • Meals
  • Transportation, lodging and meals expenses for one support person who accompanies the team member.

Who is eligible?

  • All team members or any dependent who is enrolled in dbt Labs health insurance is eligible for this reimbursement; which will be paid directly by us (not by the insurance company). The net total annual benefit (for each team member and their dependents combined) is $4,000.

In order to maintain privacy and ensure that folks are comfortable leveraging this reimbursement, please follow the process below:

  1. Email receipts directly to Megan Pittman (megan.pittman@dbtlabs.com). Please include a note that the receipts are for healthcare-related travel, but we do not require more information than that.
  2. Reimbursements will be processed directly through payroll.
    1. The Head of People will be the only person with access to receipts and reason for travel and will not discuss or share with anyone. The Payroll Manager will receive only the amount to add to payroll.
  3. If you need support relating to out-of-state travel for healthcare purposes, please contact Megan directly.

International Travel Emergency Health Benefits (US)​

Eligibility Requirement: US employees enrolled in dbt Labs' health benefits.

US employees utilizing our health benefits have access to emergency care while traveling abroad.

Emergencies are generally classified as any symptoms that might be “limb or life threatening”, which could be something like broken limb, chest pain, anaphylaxis/allergy reactions causing severe symptoms, etc. If you are not sure if something is considered an emergency, contact your doctor.

Both Cigna and Kaiser have access to Registered Nurses who are available 24/7 to assess medical conditions over the phone and make suggestions for care (find these numbers on the back of your insurance card).

Learn how to use this benefit here.

Retirement (US)​

All US based employees have access to an employer-sponsored 401K plan, adminstered through Guideline.

Immediately upon hire, dbt Labs will contribute 3% of employee’s monthly salary into their retirement account on a monthly basis and employees will be automatically enrolled at 4% contributions, which can be adjusted at any time.

Employees can additionally opt to contribute up to the federal maximum to their retirement account. dbt Labs will contribute to the retirement account regardless of any supplemental employee contributions.

Enrollment Process​

*Note: All US team members are automatically enrolled into a 401k contributions

  1. New emploees will receive a welcome email from Guideline to their personal email with a link to set-up their account.
  2. Once logged in, employees can set contribution amounts at any time throughout the year.
  3. Employees’s are automatically enrolled at a default contribution rate of 4%.

Automatic Contribution Amounts​

  • Employer Contribution Amount: 3% (No employee contributions required for employer portion)
  • Employee Contribution Amount: 4% (can be changed at any time)

FAQs​

Can a team member opt out of the 401k program?

  • Yes! The team member needs to opt out themselves.

How can a team member increase or decrease their contribution amount?

  • Login to their Guideline account and update their election.

Is there a vesting schedule for the employer contributions?

  • All employer contributions are immediately vested.

I think I over contributed to my 401k, what should I do?

  • Reach out directly to Guideline's support team and they can assist with correcting any potential errors.

How long does it take for a changed contribution amount to be reflected in payroll?

  • This may depend on timing but generally changes will take effect on the next payroll run.

Stipends​

As part of dbt Labs' total rewards strategy, we provide various stipends to help cover some of the cost associated with working from home; as well as supporting our team members' development and well being. These policies apply to all full-time employees that work for any dbt Labs entity or who are employed through our Employer of Record (EOR - ie, Remote.com).

How to use Benepass - Perks & Stipend Platform​

Benepass is our benefits/perks partner and is specifically designed to help administer stipends and supplemental perks.

Learn about how to use Benepass and get answers to FAQs here.

  • Benepass is used for Office Stipend, Phone & Internet Stipend, Health & Wellness Stipend, and Professional Development Stipend.
  • Policies and reimbursements that are NOT administered through Benepass are: Workspace Rental Stipend (LiquidSpace), Health Related Travel Benefit, Corporate Travel & Expense Policy.
  • Benepass can be accessed via Okta, their Online Portal or through their mobile app.

General Guidelines for All Stipends​

  • All stipend expenses must be processed using your Benepass card or submitted for reimbursement through the Benepass app. Learn more here.
  • All transactions over $50 USD or local equivalent require a receipt / documentation
    • All reimbursements require a receipt / documentation
  • All full time employees are eligible for these stipends in their first month, regardless of their actual hire date.
  • Stipend amounts must be used within their allotted time or the funds will expire (ie. Each stipend has as fiscal year (Feb 1-Jan 31) or monthly timeline. Funds not used during that time period will expire and will not roll over)
    • Expired Health & Wellness Funds example: On July 18th your Benepass card is charged for your gym membership for $100, reducing your Health & Wellness available funds to $25. On July 25th you purchase a sleeve of golf balls for $15 on your personal card. On August 1st your Health and Wellness wallet’s remaining $25 from July expire and is then refreshed to $125 for the month of August. August 2nd you submit for a reimbursement for the golf balls and the $15 is reimbursed and deducts the $15 from the available $125 August amount.
  • Stipend amounts will be evaluated on an annual basis (Key factors - benchmark data, purchasing power indices, budget availability)
  • Annual Stipends must be submitted in a timely fashion, best practice is to submit expenses within 30 days.
    • Past 30 day submissions: while you can still submit these expenses past 30 days, this best practice helps ensure we aren’t back-loading and incurring large sums of reimbursements as we close out a Quarter or Fiscal year and timely submissions help with this!
  • View a list of eligible expenses. This list is non-comprehensive and is updated as needed.

Stipend Amounts by Country​

Learn about our stipend amounts by country here.

Office Stipend​

Policy​

There are many advantages to building a remote-first culture, however we understand that this remote first approach can become a burden on employees that now need to set up a home office that is conducive to their work. This policy is designed to help mitigate some of that burden and pass our savings onto you.

Office Stipend Types

  1. Office Refresh Stipend - All employees receive up to $400 each fiscal year to help refresh their existing office set-up and needs. Our fiscal year runs Feb 1-Jan 31.
  2. New Hire Office Stipend - All new hires receive a total of $1,500 to use through out their first year to help assist in building their home office. (In our Benepass Platform, new hires will see an $1,100 New Hire Office Stipend + $400 Office Refresh Stipend = $1,500. This allows new hires to utilize their funds through out the entire year.)

All office stipend expenses should be purchased using your Benepass card or reimbursed through the Benepass site or app.

Learn more about the stipend amount by country, based on local purchasing power, here.

Common Eligible Items (This is not an exhaustive list)​

  • Monitor
  • Mouse
  • Keyboard
  • Desk
  • Desk Chair
  • Headphones
  • Laptop stand
  • Webcam/microphone
  • Monitor privacy filter
  • Calendar
  • Whiteboard
  • Printer
  • Exercise ball to sit on
  • Office supplies (pens, paper, printer cartridges)
  • Monitor riser / Standing desk topper
  • Ergonomic accessories
  • Adapter/cords to connect the above items to your laptop computer
  • Lighting

Items Not Eligible​

  • Phones
  • Tablets or Tablet accessories
  • Couches
  • Living room chairs
  • Paint & Wallpaper
  • Window furnishings

Common Questions:​

Do you have any recommendations on how to best use this stipend?

  • Check out equipment recommendations from team members here or search in #talk-remoteworking Slack channel.

What if I can’t build my entire office with the provided $1,500?

  • We understand that the needs and wants may differ between each person in building out their home office. These stipends are meant to help supplement some of the costs associated with our remote first environment. Additionally, we will continue to monitor and assess all existing stipend amounts each year.

How can I find out if something is an eligible expense?

  • If you’re unsure if something is included within the policy, reach out directly to Benepass support team via the app.

Phone & Internet Stipend​

Policy​

As part of our remote first approach, and in an effort to help our team do their best work, dbt labs provides up to $125 each month to help cover some of the costs associated with your personal phone and internet.

Eligible Expenses

  • Internet costs to include internet, service fees, etc.
  • Phone costs to include cellular service for your phone only

Items Not Eligible

  • Additional services attached to your internet provider (ex. TV, home phone and additional subscription services)
  • Device payment installments, accessory data plans (Apple watch service), other phone lines on the bill, added subscriptions.

All phone and internet expenses should be purchased using your Benepass card or reimbursed through the Benepass site or app.

Learn more about the stipend amount by country, based on local purchasing power, here.

General Guidelines​

  • Internet Expense: address on the bill must match your current address in ADP. Please make sure these match prior to submitting.
  • Phone Expense: phone number on the bill must match the phone number on file in ADP. If multiple lines are on a bill, please submit for the cost of one line as the amount for reimbursement.
  • If you’re unsure if something is included within the policy, reach out directly to Benepass support team via the app.

Health & Wellness Stipend​

Policy​

Employees to bring their whole selves to work and we know that health and wellness are key factors in producing their best work. To help with this, we provide all full time employees up to $125 each month to use towards their physical, mental & financial wellbeing.

Eligible Expenses (not an exhaustive list)

  • Gym & fitness memberships - Including digital memberships and subscriptions
  • Exercise equipment - At home weights / exercise machines, yoga mat etc.
  • Recreational actives - Ski passes, golfing, hiking permits, camping, horseback riding
  • Recreational equipment - golf clubs, bicycle & equipment, sports protective gear etc. *Specialized footwear like running shoes, hiking boots, ski boots
  • Mental health - Meditation and mental health apps, therapy visits etc.
  • Wellbeing services - Massage gun/Massage Therapy, Weight loss programs etc.
  • Financial wellness - Digital financial wellness services (budgeting software), financial Workshops, debt or tax consulting Services

Items Not Eligible

  • Food services & consumables - Meal Kits, take out food, Uber eats subscription, etc.
  • Household goods & Services - Therapeutic bed, juicers, HEPA filters, clean services, ergo equipment, etc.
  • Cosmetic goods & services - Manicures, pedicures, hair color, hair cuts, makeup, facials, spa treatments, etc.
  • Athleisure clothing - Gym shorts, yoga pants, athletic shirts, winter jackets, etc.
  • Investment training & tools - motley fool, stock picker subscriptions, etc.

All health and wellness expenses should be purchased using your Benepass card or reimbursed through the Benepass site or app.

Learn more about the stipend amount by country, based on local purchasing power, here.

Common Questions:​

Can a large purchase be paid in installments over time?

Yes! Benepass is able to track and manage ‘payment’ systems for large purchases.

Do you have more examples of eligible and non-eligible expenses?

Check out a more robust list here. This isn’t an exhaustive list. We will continiue to build it out as questions arise.

Professional Development Stipend​

Policy​

At dbt Labs we believe in moving up the stack. Not only do we encourage our team to seek out learning opportunities to grow and develop, but also provide up to $500 each fiscal year for employees to use on learning and professional development expenses. Common eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

  • Subscriptions
  • Books
  • Software

All professional development expenses should be purchased using your Benepass card or reimbursed through the Benepass site or app.

Learn more about the stipend amount by country, based on local purchasing power, here.

Common Questions:​

Does the professional development purchase need to be directly related to my role?

It doesn’t; but it does need to be considered professional development as it relates to the career you have or the career you want. This can be defined in two ways:

  1. Core Training: "On the job" learning, training of core skills, experience levels growth, area training, deepening expertise in one's domain.
  2. Stretch Learning: Learning that is outside of the role's scope, bridges the gaps between departments, supports career changes, or helps someone build more general context.

What if I want to take a course or attend a conference that costs more than $500?

Occasionally, expenses beyond the initial $500 will be reimbursed with advanced manager approval. This is most relevant as it relates to in-person conferences (fees, travel, and expenses). Let your manager know what you need, and they can send the request to the #finance-support Slack channel and do their best to make it work.

What are some examples of professional development purchases?

  • Courses using online platforms like:
    • Udemy – Online courses with a range of topics
    • Skillshare – Online courses for creators
    • Highbrow – Get 5-minute lessons delivered to your inbox every morning
    • Datacamp – Learn Data Science online
    • Treehouse – Learn Web Design, Coding, and more
  • Books to learn more about a subject or to dive into how other companies do things; for the People team, this may look like:
  • Certifications or professional memberships:

How can I find out if something is an eligible expense?

  • If you’re unsure if something is included within the policy, reach out directly to Benepass support team via the app.

Workplace Rental​

We understand that working from home does not work for everyone. All dbt Labs mployees receive a monthly benefit to rent office space and experience an optimal work environment.

We offer the following to enable employees to rent workspaces outside the home and optimize for productivity:

  • $250 per month in workplace rental coverage for all employees through Liquidspace
  • $1500 per quarter workplace rental stipend for Directors (L7+) and above to book large conference room / work spaces through Liquidspace to support in-person meetings for teams

This benefit is important because:

  • Productivity: dbt Lab's remote-first / async culture is designed to allow employees to “work from anywhere” vs just “work from home”. The primary goal of supporting workplaces outside the home is to enable employees to build the optimal environment for their work.
  • Community: Provides opportunities for team members to build rapport with one another, engage cross-functionally, and strengthen a sense of shared values and goals.

🖐️ In-person / outside the home workplace benefits must not compromise remote employees’ ability to collaborate. Please keep in mind that the main goal of this benefit is to enhance your personal work environment. If you choose to collaborate in a co-working space with co-workers, you are mindful that everyone who needs to be involved in a conversation is. If your project/collaboration can be accomplished over zoom or asynchronously, then it should be done that way to avoid excluding others.

FAQs​

What is Liquidspace and how do I use it?​

About Liquidspace: Liquidspace is an online marketplace for renting workplaces and offices. It is considered the “airbnb of workplace rentals” in that it utilizes a number of companies and private hosts to allow for over 10,000 locations to choose from.

To access Liquidspace, simply login through Okta or here. There is no need to submit reimbursement for this, the costs will be managed within LiquidSpace.

When you begin searching in your area of choice, you will find desks, private offices, and meeting rooms, along with the pricing (per hour, 1/2 day, and full-day). You can book spaces in advance and some are even available the same day!

Please join our LiquidSpace slack channel #liquidspace-workplace-experience to ask questions, share great places to book and find others in your area to co-work with!

When should I use Liquidspace vs a dbt Labs office?​

When in the vicinity / metro area of a dbt Labs office, leverage the office instead of Liquidspace to the best of your ability. If you are local to an office but the office is full or doesn’t suit your needs (e.g. you need a bigger space for a customer / team meeting) feel free to leverage Liquidspace as needed.

What if I want to rent a different workspace for the day that is not available on Liquidspace?​

We do not reimburse one-time workplace rental expenses for locations outside the Liquidspace platform.

However, if you are looking for a space and there are no viable or available options near you in LiquidSpace, and you can find space elsewhere, you may use your personal card and expense the cost up to $250/month. Please use the expense code “Office Space” in Airbase.

Can I go over my budget on Liquidspace?​

No - the $250 rental benefit is strictly enforced within Liquidspace. For example, if you have used $230 of the monthly benefit, and want to book a day pass for $35, Liquidspace will not process the rental.

Is there an exception process if I want to rent a monthly space that is more expensive than my monthly budget?​

Yes! - If you are a team member who does not have an optimal at-home workplace, and expects to be going into the office 3 times a week or more, we want to support you in finding the right work environment!

Most monthly subscriptions are more than the $250 limit, so Liquidspace will not allow you to book on the company plan. In order to book the space, you can use your own credit card (on Liquidspace OR another platform) and then claim the $250 credit through Airbase. You must book an unlimited monthly subscription or permanent desk at a coworking space to be eligible for the airbase refund (we do not offer this for day passes).

Non-US-based Employees:​

LiquidSpace is available in many countries as well. If there is not a space near you on LiquidSpace, we want you to be able to work from anywhere as well! If this is the case, you can find space elsewhere, pay for your space with your personal card and expense, per month, up to:

  • $250 USD
  • €228.58 EUR
  • £189.00 GBP
  • $336.61 AUD
  • $364.86 NZD
  • $234.17 CHF
  • $318.38 CAD
  • 2596.05 SEK

Learn more about how to use LiquidSpace to book larger meeting spaces here.

Wellness Program​

At dbt Labs, self-care is not a luxury, it's a priority. We partner with Bright, the creators of a well-being platform for teams, to offer you a comprehensive well-being program - the Bright Pass - for free!

  • Keynotes and other events are also included each week covering a range of topics, such as financial well-being, sleep,  and coping with stress.
  • The Bright Pass gives you access to over 250 live, virtual classes each week. Sessions include daily yoga, fitness, meditation, and nutrition!
  • Bright’s sessions are live and interactive to help you feel connected to your team and to Bright’s educators.

Learn more about the program and how to setup your account: brightwellness.pdf

Employee Discounts​

Employee discounts are available through LifeMart.

Login using the same dbt Labs email you use to login to ADP.

You can find savings on things like:

  • Travel
  • Car rentals
  • Home items
  • Childcare
  • Electronics
  • and more!

Footnotes​

  1. Resets with the fiscal year on February 1. ↩