Work at WestEd

WestEd fosters a workplace that promotes growth, development, and creativity, and offers generous benefits to full-time and part-time employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week. WestEd pays a significant portion of medical, dental, and vision plan premiums. Temporary employees accrue sick time.

Health & Wellness

Medical
Eligible employees may enroll themselves and their eligible dependents in one of four medical plan options – HMO, POS, EPO, or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA) – depending on location.

Dental
Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in the WestEd Dental PPO plan, which allows them to visit a dentist of their choice.

Vision
Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in the VSP vision plan, with access to both in-network and out-of-network providers.

Short-Term Disability
WestEd fully covers the premium for short-term disability insurance, which provides income replacement of up to 66⅔% (maximum $2,500 per week) for eligible disabilities lasting 15–90 days.

Long-Term Disability
WestEd fully covers the premium for long-term disability insurance, which provides income replacement of up to 66⅔% (maximum $17,000 per month) for eligible disabilities lasting 91 days or longer.

Group Life/Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Provided at no cost to eligible employees, this benefit covers up to three times the employee’s annual salary (maximum $500,000), subject to IRS imputed income tax for coverage over $50,000.

Voluntary Life/Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Employees may purchase additional Life/AD&D coverage of up to five times their annual salary (maximum $500,000). Coverage is also available for spouses/domestic partners (up to $250,000) and children (up to $10,000).

Life and Long-Term Care (LTC) Plan
Eligible employees can also choose to enroll themselves and their eligible spouses or domestic partners into a Life Insurance plan that includes a LTC rider offering a range of premium options within 30 days of hire.

Flexible Spending Plan
Employees may participate in:

• Health Care FSA
• Dependent Care FSA

Contributions are deducted on a pre-tax basis to cover eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent care expenses.

Commuter Check Program
Employees may participate in a pre-tax program for transit and commuter-related parking expenses.

Employee Assistance Program
This no-cost program provides confidential support for employees and their families, including mental health counseling, legal assistance, financial guidance, and referral services.

Health Care Advocacy Program
Fully funded by WestEd, this independent advocacy service helps employees:

• Navigate benefits
• Resolve claims issues
• Access guidance on medical topics such as Medicare and coordination of benefits

Supplemental Insurance
Employees may purchase Aflac supplemental insurance for accident, cancer, dental, or hospitalization coverage.

Ergonomics
WestEd is committed to providing a safe and ergonomically sound work environment.

Retirement and Savings

Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
WestEd contributes 15% of each eligible employee’s base salary (within IRS limits) to a retirement account beginning with the first paycheck. Employees are 100% vested from the date of hire.

403(b) and 457(b) Tax Deferred Retirement Account Options
Employees may contribute pre-tax or after-tax income to one or both plans, within IRS guidelines. Employees are fully vested upon participation.

Credit Union
Employees are eligible to join Provident Credit Union and open checking, savings, and other accounts.

Time Away

Paid Time Off
Paid Time Off (PTO) increases with tenure: employees start with 19 days per year, which gradually rises to 21 days after 3 years, 23 days after 6 years, and reaches a maximum of 25 days annually after 10 years.

Holidays
WestEd typically provides 11–12 paid holidays per year.

Sick Leave (Temporary Employees)
Temporary employees accrue paid sick leave at a rate of 0.0346 hours per hour worked, up to a maximum of 80 hours.

Community Building

Employee Referral Program
Employees who refer candidates for full- or part-time roles may be eligible for a referral bonus if the candidate is hired.

Office Activities
Each WestEd office hosts community-building events such as social gatherings, picnics, and holiday celebrations.

Length of Service Awards
Employees are recognized for long-term service starting at 10 years and at five-year intervals thereafter.

Peer Recognition
The Staff Awards program recognizes individual and team excellence across the organization while promoting collaboration and visibility into colleagues’ work.

Additional Benefits

Strategic Investment Grants
These grants support employees in exploring innovative ideas outside their dvay-to-day work that advance the education field.

Professional Development
WestEd supports professional growth through workshops, seminars, conferences, and internal training facilitated by a Training and Development Manager.

Internal Transfers
Open positions are posted internally, allowing employees to apply for new opportunities within the organization.

Transparency in Coverage (No Surprises Act)

For machine-readable files detailing in-network and out-of-network costs for Aetna medical coverage, please visit Aetna’s website.

Salary

Salary ranges are determined by factors including education, experience, and organizational needs. Specific ranges are listed in each job posting and aligned with WestEd salary grades. Hiring typically does not occur at the top of the range.

Total Compensation Guide

In addition to base salary, employees receive:

• 15% employer retirement contribution (e.g., $100,000 salary + $15,000 contribution = $115,000 total compensation)
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health and welfare benefits effective the first of the month following hire
• PTO and 11–12 paid holidays annually
• Life insurance equal to 3× salary (e.g., $300,000 for a $100,000 salary)
• Annual merit increases and incentive opportunities
• Professional development and mentorship programs

Retirement Contribution

Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
WestEd contributes 15% of each eligible employee’s base salary, as allowable under IRS guidelines, into an individual Defined Contribution Retirement plan account beginning with the employee’s first paycheck. Employees are 100% vested in this plan from the date of hire.

403(b) Tax Deferred Retirement Account
Eligible employees can make pre-tax salary contributions into this supplemental retirement plan as allowed under IRS guidelines. Employees are 100% vested in this plan from the date of participation in the plan.

457(b) Tax Deferred Retirement Account
Eligible employees can also make pre-tax salary contributions into this supplemental retirement plan as allowed under IRS guidelines. Employees are 100% vested in this plan from the date of participation in the plan.

WestEd periodically engages an external firm to conduct an employee opinion survey. The results help agency leaders to make sound decisions about organizational direction and improvements. The survey is sent to every staff member, and responses are anonymous.

Below are some comments that staff made in the most recent survey, spring 2018.

Since WestEd’s inception almost 60 years ago, our agency has been committed to staff diversity. WestEd, and the communities we serve, benefit from the range of perspectives and lived experiences provided by this diverse workforce and the ways in which those perspectives and experiences enrich and inform our agency and the work we do. Individuals from different backgrounds, identities, and abilities, as well as from many cultural, linguistic, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, work at all levels of the organization.

Our vision is a world of thriving learners and empowered communities. Achieving this vision requires staff who understand and respect the people and communities we serve. To that end, WestEd actively recruits, develops, and retains teams that have the depth and diversity of experience and expertise needed for all the communities we serve.

At WestEd, we assume individual and collective responsibility for building an organizational culture characterized by acceptance, respect, support, and safety for all groups and individuals. We build together, collaborate, and create responses with our teams, partners, educators, and communities. We lead with inquiry, drive with excellence and integrity, and focus on improving learning and human development outcomes for all.

WestEd’s Employe Experience team actively involves employees in decision-making and process improvements and sponsors social and professional groups for staff. Our goal is to remove barriers and provide the supports needed to ensure each employee’s full and successful participation. WestEd also provides all staff access to various learning, development, and mentoring opportunities. These efforts contribute to high retention rates for staff across backgrounds, levels, and areas of work.