Besides the major services that employers usually make available, there are a number of secondary fringe benefits that must be considered when constructing a coverage package for workers. Besides the fact that fringe benefits allow plans to add piecemeal value in place of major costs, they also help companies show their appreciation for the efforts of an entire workforce.
Make sure to be thorough when deciding which fringe benefits are being provided. Even something that has a commercial purpose can function as a boon for employees. For example, when businesses offer cell phones to personnel that they use during work hours, giving permission to use that phone for other reasons, free of charge, can be construed as a valuable and useful service.
However, be certain that all of the accompanying taxes and regulations are being followed when this is the case. For instance, company cell phones may need to be logged and reported for tax purposes even if they're predominantly used by employees on their own time. Consult with an employee benefit specialist to understand which fringe benefits require careful documentation and which are simple enough to offer without providing records of every single instance of use.
