As a full-time regular employee of Geron Corporation, you are offered a comprehensive array of benefit programs designed to meet your family and your needs. Geron covers the majority of costs for an employee and his/her dependents' medical, dental and vision insurance. An employee's shared cost is based on the medical premiums, but an employee is free to choose any combination of coverage from the programs offered. An employee is free to opt out of these programs as long as they are able to provide evidence of other medical coverage. Coverage for spouse, domestic partner and eligible dependents is optional.
The key provisions of the Geron Employee Benefit Programs are highlighted below.
Medical
Geron offers two different medical plans including prescription drug benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents: Anthem Blue Cross PPO and Kaiser Permanente HMO. Employee contributions are on a pre-tax basis.
Dental
Geron offers a comprehensive dental plan through Delta Dental.
Vision
Geron provides vision coverage to eligible employees and their dependents to receive an eye examination, lenses and/or frames once every 12 months with a $20 co-pay. This plan is insured by Vision Service Plan.
Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance is offered through The Hartford and is equivalent to two times the employee's annual salary (up to a maximum of $800,000). Geron pays 100% of the premium cost for both plans.
Supplemental Life Insurance
Supplemental Life Insurance for employees and their dependents is offered through The Hartford with the option to purchase additional life insurance up to three times the employee's annual salary (up to a maximum of $300,000).
Long-Term Disability
On the 121st day of disability, LTD coverage begins through The Hartford. Under LTD, an eligible employee is provided 60% of basic monthly earnings to a maximum monthly benefit of $15,000.
401(K) Plan
Eligible employees may defer from 1% to 100% of their pay on a pre-tax basis to the 401(k) plan. The maximum contribution is $16,500 for 2010 and then indexed for inflation thereafter. Employees 50 and over qualify for an accelerated contribution limit of $5,500 in 2010. Each year the company may offer a discretionary match up to 100% of an employee's 401k contributions with a four year vest.
Incentive Stock Options
An employee may be offered incentive stock options at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of Geron's Common Stock at the date the option is granted.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Under this plan, eligible employees have the opportunity to purchase Geron Common Stock at a discounted price.
Flexible Spending Plan
Geron offers health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts to eligible employees. This plan allows deferral of pre-tax money to cover medical expenses not covered by insurance to a maximum of $5,000 per year as well as dependent care expenses up to $5,000 per year per family.
Vacation
1 year: 10 days
2 years: 11 days
3 years: 12 days
For each additional year, an employee will receive one more day of vacation up to a maximum of 20 days.
Unused vacation can be carried over into the following year and will continue to accrue up to 240 hours.
Winter Break
In addition to a variety of pre-designated paid holidays,
Geron gives employees a paid winter break between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Sick Leave
Geron offers each employee eight days of sick leave per calendar year available for absence due to illness, injury, or kin care.
Health & Fitness Membership
Geron fully subsidizes a basic health & fitness gym membership to Bayfront Fitness, Menlo Park.
Geron believes that benefits are an essential component of the total compensation program. All programs are reviewed annually to ensure that they meet our business objectives and financial resources.
