Compensation & Benefits Checklist

COMPENSATION :

Includes the following :

The base salary
Bonuses : bonus structures vary and can include sign-on, CPO (corporate performance objectives ; bonus payments only if objectives met) ; MBO (management by objectives ; bonus payment for tasks completed). Once you start the negotiation process, you need to have questions prepared to find out what, if any , types of bonuses you might be able to procure.
Commission : is usually tied to sales positions and can encompass various types, including : % of overall revenue, % of overall profit, % of revenue by product, % of profit by product, % of quota.
Stock Options

BENEFITS :

All of these items hold negotiation potential, although some must stay consistent across the board for legal reasons :

General benefits	Retirement plan	Bonus plans
Health and dental insurance	Bonus and profit sharing	Stock options
Vacation time	Signing bonuses	Day care
Holidays	Relocation reimbursement	Maternity leave/ family leave
Personal days/ sick days	Travel reimbursement	Professional development courses
Work hours	Equipment	Tuition reimbursement
Telecommuting/ flextime	Performance reviews and raises

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT BASICS :

These items present an overview of everything to be aware of when negotiating executive employment agreements :

Scope of employment	Liability protection	Disability and death
Base salary	Stock option grants	Restrictive covenants
Bonuses	Stock grants	Dispute resolution
Benefits	Confidentiality restrictions	Golden parachute
Term & termination	Invention assigment issues	Representations and warranties of employer
Reimbursement of expenses	Breach of agreement	Miscellaneous provisions

PERQUISITES

Many of « perks » are ussually only available to executives. However, you should not neglect to find out about the typical perks and benefits associated with the job for which you are interviewing.

Annual incentive or guaranteed minimum annual incentive	Financial/ tax/ estate planning services
Stock options, discounted stock options, restricted stock	Legal planning services
Loan to purchase restricted stock, pay taxes, or purchase home	Use of company plane
Forgiveness of loan	Company car
Supplemental executive medical insurance, executive life insurance, and executive retirement plan	College tuition for children
Non qualified deffered compensation plan	Tax gross ups for taxable benefits
Club memberships	Golden parachute provisions
First class air travel	Termination provisions