What are the Starbucks Benefits for Employees?

Starbucks has multiple employee programs centered around benefiting Partners. These benefits generally include different types of insurance, educational assistance, retirement plans, and complimentary rewards, like free Spotify and coffee. I have curated this guide for those interested in working at Starbucks. This context will brief you on all your queries regarding Starbucks benefits, eligibility criteria, and how to access them. 

Starbucks is famous for its high-quality blends and for being a trendy part of pop culture. But one thing it is also known for is treating its employees at the finest. 

Starbucks has a benefits program dedicated to its Partners. These perks can be as significant as life insurance. And they can also be “little yet sweet” as complimentary beverages or food.  

The following are the Starbucks benefits one can acquire while working at Starbucks company. 

1. Life Insurance 

Starbucks offers a basic life insurance program for all of its employees. However, the insurance coverage may vary among the retail and non-retail employees. 

In the basic program, retail employees get insurance coverage of $5,000. On the contrary, non-retail employees get insurance coverage equal to their annual base pay. 

Starbucks also offers a supplemental life insurance program. But that would naturally cost more. In the supplemental package, retail employees can choose their insurance coverage between $10,000, $20,000, and $45,000. 

In contrast, non-retail employees will get supplemental insurance with four times more coverage than their annual base pay. This additional amount will automatically get deducted from the employees’ payrolls. 

2. Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance 

Starbucks also has multiple health, dental, and vision insurance plans. Disabled employees can also access Dependant Reimbursement Care (DRS) schemes, which cover healthcare and medicine costs.

These plans are available for both retail and non-retail employees. The insurance coverage will depend upon the employee’s medical status and financial condition.

3. Partial Income for Short-Term Disability 

The company provides financial support to its employees with short-term disabilities. The health insurance by the company will help the employee to cover medical costs. 

Similarly, it provides a 26-day partial income for Partners with temporary disability cases. Starbucks may accept leaves of more than 26 days, but it won’t offer a salary for additional time-offs. 

4. Long-term Disability Coverage Plan 

Starbucks also has a long-term disability coverage plan. But it is only accessible to the employees working in the non-retail section. The program covers the employee’s premium and salary. 

However, those in retail, i.e., baristas, cannot apply for this scheme. They can only opt for the long-term disability insurance plan. 

5. Paid Time-Off 

Starbucks allows employees to get paid time off. These include paid holidays, sick leaves, and sick family time breaks. Besides, employees in non-retail get two personal paid leaves annually. 

However, those in the retail section can get up to seven paid personal leaves. But for these leaves, they will only be paid ½ of their actual base salaries. 

6. Family Expansion Reimbursement 

The company offers an extensive “Family Expansion Reimbursement” program. This plan provides reimbursement of more than $10,0000 on family expansion. 

However, reimbursement is only possible if the expansion is through surrogacy, adoption, or Intrauterine Insemination. Besides, you must also fit the criteria to acquire reimbursement funds. 

7. Paid Parental Leaves 

Starbucks truly understands how difficult it can be for new parents to manage work and newborns simultaneously. 

Thus, as a helpful gesture, it offers its employees paid parental leave. The Partners can get this benefit without even meeting the “Family Leave (FMLA) criteria.

Employees are allowed up to 6 weeks of 100% paid maternity leave. But this will only be possible if they work more than 20 hours a week at Starbucks. 

Retail and non-retail employees can get maternity leave if they meet the criteria. But when it comes to additional leaves, the case of retail employees differs from those working in non-retail.

The employees in retail can apply for 12 weeks of maternity leave, but that would be unpaid. However, when it comes to non-retail employees, they can get an additional 12 weeks of paid leave. 

8. Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Under the EAP program, Starbucks assists mentally stressed, depressed, or disturbed employees. The plan allocates eligible employees counseling sessions free of cost. 

Whether the employees belong to the retail or non-retail, they can join EAP. However, this program is available only to Starbucks Partners in the US.

9. Commuter Benefit Program 

Starbucks offers a “Commuter Benefit Program” to those who commute to work from far places. Both retail and non-retail employees are eligible for this program. 

If the employees meet the aptitude, Starbucks will cover their commutation expenses. However, a part of these expenses will be deducted from the pre-tax payroll of the customers. 

10.  Caring Unites Partner (CUP) Fund 

CUP is a family support fund program for Starbucks Partners that need financial assistance after an illness, natural disaster, or family death. 

All the employees are eligible to apply for the CUP. But, the fund will only be approved if the selection committee approves it. 

11.  Starbucks Future Roasts 401(k) Savings Plan 

Starbucks also offers a retirement plan for its long-term employees. Those working in retail and non-retail sections are eligible for this plan after 90 days of employment. 

Partners who want a pre-tax plan can opt for Starbucks Future Roasts 401(k). Whereas those wanting an after-tax plan can sign up for the Roth scheme. 

Once the desired plan is chosen, employees can contribute anywhere between 1-75% of their pay to the savings plan. However, the amount should be less than the annual threshold of $19,500. 

But if the employee is over 50, the annual saving threshold will increase to $26,000. Starbucks will comprehensively cover the first 5% of the plan. While the employee will cover the rest throughout the period. 

12.  College Achievement Plan 

Most employees who work at Starbucks are young and just over 18. Thus, to support such employees, Starbucks has launched a “College Achievement Plan.” 

The company encourages its employees to pursue a bachelor’s degree. They can choose any one of the 100 courses at Arizona State University. 

The fees at Arizona State University cost up to $15,000 annually. But, upon enrollment in any program, the students automatically receive up to 48% of the fee as a scholarship. 

The Starbucks College Achievement Plan covers the remaining 58% of the fee. Thus, through this plan, employees get to study at a prestigious university like Arizona at a 100% scholarship. 

In this scholarship, Starbucks ensures candidates have suitable academic advisors, enrollment coaches, and financial aid counselors. The plan was so successful that 1800 employees applied for it during its first month in 2014. 

13.  Complimentary Beverages 

Aside from notable eligibility-based benefits, Starbucks also provides its employees with small yet meaningful rewards from time to time. 

One of these perks is that employees can have a complimentary pound of coffee or tea box every week. Starbucks is known for its perfect blends. And what’s better than to have it for free? 

14.  Affiliate Rewards and Discounts 

Starbucks partners with different companies from time to time. Employees can also benefit from these affiliations as they receive rewards, bonuses, and discounts. 

One of the recent Starbucks affiliates is Spotify. Therefore, this partnership allows Starbucks employees to have a free Spotify subscription. 

All Starbucks employees are eligible for these rewards. However, some of these affiliations are geographically restricted. This means that they might be inaccessible in some countries. 

15.  Starbucks Discounts 

Besides affiliations, Starbucks also offers in-store discounts for its employees. Partners can get up to 30% discount on all purchases, whether they are beverages, food, or merchandise. 

These discounts are available for all employees throughout the globe. Thus, those working at Starbucks enjoy its delicacies at a relatively reduced price. 

16.  Referral Reward Program 

The company also rewards employees who bring in new Partners or help with referrals. 

At the end of each year, the referrals by each employee are calculated. Depending upon the referral count, the employees are rewarded with bonuses annually. 

17.  Elite Athlete Program

Starbucks also supports its employees who are interested in ports. If any Partners are interested in a sports career, Starbucks will support them financially. 

18.  Scheduling Option 

Another significant benefit for Starbucks Partners is that they can schedule their working shifts. Most jobs won’t give you the liberty of choosing your work timings. 

But since Starbucks has always cared for its employees, it also allows them to decide their work shifts. However, this liberty is comprehensive for retail employees, i.e., baristas and store managers.

Non-retail employees have flexible summer timings. And they also have two annual personal leaves, which they can turn in without any explanation. 

Now that you know Starbucks’ benefits, let’s discuss who can avail of them. Starbucks employees are divided into four categories. These include full-time, part-time, retail, and non-retail. 

There is no discrimination of benefits when it comes to Starbucks benefits. However, the eligibility of these benefits differs between retail and non-retail employees. 

Retail employees are those who work in Starbucks outlets. These include franchise managers, baristas, and chefs. In contrast, non-retail employees are those who work in Starbucks headquarters. 

Thus, the degree to which these employees are allocated benefits can vary. Generally speaking, non-retail employees have the upper hand over retail workers when it comes to benefits. 

It is because non-retail employees hold greater value for the company. They are more qualified and fewer in number compared to retail Partners. Moreover, most of them are full-time employed. 

Some Starbucks benefits are also conditional-based. For instance, you can only get a long-term disability fund if diagnosed with a permanent disability. 

Similarly, the CUP fund is only accessible if the employee’s family has been affected by a family member’s death or a natural disaster. 

Therefore, you should check the eligibility criteria before applying for any Starbucks benefit. If you fill in the requirements, you will be granted the benefit after the inspection. But if not, Starbucks has the right to decline your request at any time. 

Employees can access Starbucks benefits through the recently launched app “Starbucks Teamworks.” 

The app has an entire section dedicated to the benefit and reward program. 

From filling in applications for insurance to claiming your weekly coffee pods, you can do it all on this app. It also has community groups that employees can join to support and train each other. 

Observe the following steps to download Starbucks Teamworks; 

• If you are using a smartphone, you can download Starbucks Teamworks from Google Play or Apple Store. 
• But if you opt for a laptop, you can install the app through the Starbucks portal. 
• Do not download Starbucks Teamworks via third-party websites, as it can invite malware to your device. 
• After permitting the app to access your device, you can easily download Starbucks Teamworks. 

After downloading the app, one must register for it. If you are a Starbucks employee, you can sign up for the app through the following procedure; 

• Open the app on your selected device. 
• Permit it to access your device’s notifications and camera. 
• Click on the “Sign Up” button. 
• The app will ask you for a “Global Username.” It is a special code assigned only to Starbucks Partners upon their appointment. Enter the code. 
• Next, register for the app with your email and selected password. 
• The app will ask you for your name, identity, and basic stuff. 
• Once done, you will be successfully registered for the app. 
• Keep the username, email address, and password secure. Because you won’t be able to log into your Starbucks account without them. 

Once registered for the Starbucks Teamworks app, you can easily access the company’s “Benefits and Rewards” program. 

Some benefits are accessible from the very start. While the others become available after three months (90 days) of appointment. 

Starbucks benefits are undoubtedly lucrative and flexible. The best aspect about them is that the company does not discriminate between their employees when it comes to rewards and benefits. 

Moreover, Starbucks has made the benefits program more accessible through the Teamworks platform. Just with the tip of your fingers and a few clicks, Partners can enroll in their desired programs and avail of the company benefits. 

1. What perks do you get if you work at Starbucks?

Some of the most notable perks of working at Starbucks include health insurance, educational support, CUP Fund, EAP program, free Spotify subscription, complimentary beverages and food items, etc. 

2. Do Starbucks employees get free Starbucks?

There are multiple perks of working at Starbucks. One of them is that while working at company-owned franchises, Partners can enjoy Starbucks hand-crafted beverages free of charge. Moreover, they also get to enjoy special food items and pastries on the menu once a week for free. 

3. Does Starbucks pay weekly?

Retail employees are paid biweekly at Starbucks. They also get tip share once a week. The pay rate depends upon the employee’s status in the company and the number of hours they have worked.