Our benefits and programs

Total Rewards

We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that includes competitive compensation, health and wellness benefits, and a retirement plan. Most programs are available on the first day of employment.

Our promise to our employees

Compensation
We offer competitive pay for employees that reflects their knowledge, experience, and skills.

Health benefits
You get medical, dental, and vision plan benefits from day one, and a monthly fitness reimbursement program.

401(k)
Blue Shield offers a 4% company 401(k) match, which is immediately vested at 100%. In addition, 2% of earnings will be contributed into your 401(k) account at year-end, for a potential annual employer contribution of 6%.

Vacation, holidays and sick leave
Blue Shield employees have the following time off:

• 20 days of paid time off (PTO) per year with additional days added after five years of service
  
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Sabbatical: 4 weeks of full pay after 5 years of service
• Paid parental time: 12 weeks of full pay
• Leave of absence programs: bereavement, jury duty, family care, maternity, military service, and more
• Community service time and charitable contributions
  
  

We provide employees with 24 hours of paid time off to volunteer with eligible nonprofit organizations. We are also proud of our Matching Gifts Program. Blue Shield matches $1 for every $1 employees donate to eligible nonprofits, up to $1,000 per employee per year.

Life and AD&D insurance
Blue Shield provides life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage (AD&D) of 1.5 times the employee’s annual salary. Blue Shield also pays for insurance coverage for accidental death or injury while traveling on Blue Shield business. Employees may purchase additional voluntary life insurance and AD&D insurance at an affordable group rate for themselves and their dependents.

Flexible Spending Accounts
Employees can use pretax dollars to pay for eligible health care expenses and dependent care expenses up to the annual IRS limits.

Commuter programs
Blue Shield employees can contribute pretax dollars to pay for public transportation and parking expenses. We also offer additional programs to assist employees with vanpooling or carpooling.

Other programs for our employees

Blue Shield understands that the quality of life is dependent on more than just your income. That's why we offer employees the following special programs, designed to support your overall well-being and development as a professional:

Wellvolution and fitness programs
One of the ways Blue Shield supports employees’ well-being is through Wellvolution®, a suite of programs that are social and fun and can help with health goals such as weight management, nutrition, and smoking cessation.

Employee recognition
Blue Shield of California's recognition program is called L.O.V.E. (Living Our Values Every day). Our goal is to provide opportunity for employees to recognize their colleagues and direct reports for both the everyday thank you and the remarkable achievements.

Back-up child and elderly care
Employees have access to a national network of screened in-home providers and care consultants available 24/7 to provide back-up child and elder care.

Tuition reimbursement
We believe that training and professional development is essential to create an engaged and high-performing organization. Blue Shield provides partial reimbursement up to a maximum of $5,250 per year.

Scholarship program
Dependent children, stepchildren, and grandchildren of eligible Blue Shield employees may apply for financial assistance for continued education. Awards can be up to $5,000.