[speaker001:] okay um I guess we're going to talk describe uh job benefits and so what do you think next to salary do you rank is the most important job benefits
[speaker002:] uh I would say the medical uh group insurance uh area as far as uh
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] covering medical costs for yourself or family members
[speaker001:] um-hum well um does your company have good benefits in that in that regard
[speaker002:] yeah I think I work for a a public school system district and uh so it's different than a company where
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] most companies fund almost the entire thing where the school district does um the employee must pick up a greater figure in the way of uh costs but overall um I've been pleased with it over the years I think the biggest frustration
[speaker001:] oh yeah um-hum
[speaker002:] is because of the cost of insurance going up every year our district has had to alter uh you know change companies or now we're on a managed care thing which has stressed a lot of people out although
[speaker001:] hm
[speaker002:] it has not disturbed me any how about yourself
[speaker001:] I see uh well I'm my medical coverage is with an HMO um so
[speaker002:] uh-huh
[speaker001:] that's in my opinion that's getting that's bordering on a health clinic but it seems to be a good way to maintain costs and still provide a good amount of coverage um
[speaker002:] right yeah our district did that for the ninety one and the ninety school year or calendar years and I was in the HMO and um I I was because my my same doctor you know agreed to be in it for uh they usually sign a contract or something and um
[speaker001:] um-hum
[speaker002:] uh I did have surgery last summer and I paid ten dollars when I went to see him that first day and I've never seen another bill so I I have to say it really works but again
[speaker001:] right
[speaker002:] I was fortunate because my doctor agreed to be in it uh if you've been going to a doctor for you know ten years or something and he elects not to join it can be very stressful for you know those people
[speaker001:] yes that's right yeah I'm I'm fairly young myself I've only been when I first started working which three years ago is when I first got into full time employment
[speaker002:] uh-huh
[speaker001:] and uh at that time I immediately joined the HMO and I never really so the only doctor I I've kind of consistently had has been through the HMO and uh you know for me it's worked out real good
[speaker002:] yeah right but if you you know have a family and and um everybody's gone to different doctors uh it is hard to give up somebody who you feel knows you and your body and your just has you know all the medical history and you feel comfortable with it I I'm sure it would be very stressful and
[speaker001:] um-hum
[speaker002:] my husband and I have just elected that if that happens I will go and just pay you can continue to go to your own doctor but your benefits are not as
[speaker001:] hm
[speaker002:] you know good so
[speaker001:] um-hum yeah um like you you mentioned you work for a school system I work for uh Georgia Tech in the research branch and I guess
[speaker002:] uh oh all right
[speaker001:] another one that that that I rank up there high is the uh kind of job flexibility and time off um I enjoy as a as a benefit
[speaker002:] I do too are you talking about like spring break and right
[speaker001:] right yeah getting a lot of a lot of breaks between quarters and that and having a lot of vacation
[speaker002:] right it it really um I don't think most of our teachers now I'm not a teacher I am the a secretarial executive assistant but I don't think the teachers could stand the stress all all year long frankly it is just
[speaker001:] um-hum
[speaker002:] Texas has really um  you know they want everybody educated no matter what it's costs uh and it it would be just we all look forward to like in two weeks we have spring break and I don't know who looks forward to it more the students or the or the teachers and the staff what do you do there
[speaker001:] um-hum right well um I'm not actually on the teaching faculty but we have a large research organization associated with the university and that's who I work with
[speaker002:] okay I like
[speaker001:] um and we're given you know a good bit of flexibility in what we do we can kind of pursue our own interests in terms of the research areas that we study
[speaker002:] well that's good yeah I would think that that type of employment you're you're one day you might be really tuned in and the next day oh a little lukewarm or something and and um
[speaker001:] right
[speaker002:] you know it's good that they allow you that
[speaker001:] right
[speaker002:] it um as I say the schools now we do have to work you know the day but we do get many days off and um we all look forward to it that's only reason I work there is that my children now have graduated and graduated from college but at the time
[speaker001:] um-hum oh yeah
[speaker002:] I worked there because my hours and days were the same as theirs and uh I've just
[speaker001:] um-hum
[speaker002:] continued to uh stay there
[speaker001:] okay are there
[speaker002:] so
[speaker001:] are there any things that that you'd like to see changed in terms of the the benefits