Another character trait of God is His generosity.

Giving to our co-workers may be best illustrated by the Ten Year Anniversary trip. When a co-worker at our company has worked with us for ten years, they have earned the right for us to give them something tangible as a way of saying thank you for all that faithful service. Giving is more than an intangible, abstract concept. We put flesh and blood and arms and legs to our giving and wrap it all up in the Anniversary Trip to someplace fun. Like Huntington Beach, CA.

Each year that we have five or more co-workers celebrating ten years with First Rate, Trina and I host a Ten Year Anniversary Trip. The way we see it, how can you truly celebrate a ten year commitment to First Rate if you have to leave your spouse home? So, the Anniversary Trip is for our co-worker and their spouse. Four days and nights of sun and fun at a beach front resort.

Co-workers don’t have to wait ten years to taste the generosity of God at First Rate. Being generous with our co-workers happens every day, every month and every year. Among many ways of giving to our co-workers, here’s a list that comes to my mind:

  1. Co-workers at First Rate in the USA have a generous 401(k) retirement plan.
    • Only 56% of USA employers offer a 401(k) for employees to save for retirement.
    • Only 51% of those employers match the employee contribution.
    • First Rate is among only 10% of those employers that match their employee’s contributing 6% of their salary. (The median match is on 3% of salary.)
    • First Rate matches every employee dollar with two dollars. 2-for-1 match up to 6% of salary. I’ve never heard of another company that matches 2-for-1 on 6% of employee salary. (78% match 1-for1 or less.)
    • First Rate is among only 22% of USA employers that vest employer matching contributions immediately. (78% of USA employers vest the employer match over five years with graded or cliff vesting.)
    • Stats taken from https://20somethingfinance.com/401k-match/
  2. Co-workers in the USA have a generous medical insurance plan.
    • The company pays 75% of the monthly premium and 100% of the annual deductible.
  3. Every year we host co-workers and their families for an offsite weekend retreat called the First Rate Living Weekend.
  4. Unlimited paid time off.
  5. Flexible work schedules and work-from-home options.
  6. Each calendar year employees can designate money from First Rate to the charities of their choice. (Within the guideline it’s a gift honoring God’s idea to start First Rate.)
    • Minimum of $2,000 up to $9,500 based on seniority.
    • In 2017, First Rate co-workers designated $460,000 to over 300 charities.
  7. First Rate pays for humanitarian trips to build homes for the poorest of the poor in Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador.
  8. Free snacks in the office.
  9. Weekly lunches in the office.

Our people love it! They really get what it means to be a giving person, a generous person. That’s the kind of message we not only preach at First Rate, it’s the kind of message we want to live out every day.

#LoveGiveServeEnjoy #FirstRateLiving