Zach Ward is a planner. The full-time college student and part-time Geek Squad Agent has to be to avoid any scheduling conflicts.
“I love my job and want to be here for my team, so I work really hard to balance that with my classes,” said Zach, who lives in Milwaukee. Still, sometimes he worries when homework and finals start to pile up. Thanks to Best Buy’s new paid time off (PTO) benefit for part-time employees, Zach can breathe easier.
Starting this month, part-time employees who have worked for the company for at least a year can receive up to 16 hours of paid time off a year. The benefit can be used for things like planned time off, an illness, doctor visits or vacation.
“We heard it loud and clear from employees that they needed time,” Jen Hazelton, a human resources senior manager, said. “I really think this will be one of those things that when you need it, it’s going to feel like weight off your shoulders and you don’t have to stress out. We want to make sure that when employees are off, they can focus on being off, whether it’s a sick day or vacation.”
Zach doesn’t have plans to use his new PTO hours yet, but it brings him peace of mind to know he has options. “It’s nice to know that if I do need a day off, if something pops out of nowhere, I don’t have to worry about it anymore,” he said.
PTO for part-time employees is just one of four new benefits Best Buy has rolled out recently. In addition to part-time PTO, the company also introduced back-up childcare, paid caregiver leave and enhanced mental health resources.
To learn more about working at Best Buy, visit our Careers website.