Amazon unveils 14 new benefits offered to employees

These new benefits, under Amazon’s FamilyFlex program, are aimed at helping employees and family members achieve personal and professional success.

When Deanna Christopherson’s daughter suddenly became ill, she found herself needing some extra help navigating her finances. Unsure where to begin, she turned to her Amazon benefits to see if there were any resources available to her. She wound up speaking with an expert at Brightside Financial Care, who helped her start a savings habit and get approved for a loan.

“The whole team at Brightside is the most wonderful resource. I can’t state enough the extent of my gratitude,” said Christopherson, a fulfillment associate in Schaumburg, Illinois. “Thanks to Brightside for helping my family during a difficult time.”

Brightside, currently being piloted for Amazon associates in 12 states, is a new benefit under the company’s FamilyFlex program. FamilyFlex is aimed at providing employees and family members with more flexibility in their lives, and tools to help them achieve personal and professional success.

Paris Purifoy, a fulfillment associate in Little Rock, Arkansas, used her Amazon benefits to improve her financial health. While using Brightside, Purifoy paid down debt, raised her credit score by 64 points, started a savings habit, and worked with creditors to negotiate payment plans.

“My Brightside Financial Assistant is such a beautiful spirit, and is there when I need to talk about some of the most difficult things a person can deal with—finances,” said Purifoy. “It’s great being able to feel supported and helped while you are helping yourself.”

Even with great pay and health care benefits that start on day one of employment, an unexpected financial- or health-related event can be difficult to manage. Amazon is doubling down on FamilyFlex to provide employees like Christopherson and Purifoy with extra help and guidance to navigate and overcome those moments.

“We want to give our team the tools they need to be successful both at Amazon and outside of work, which is why we offer benefits like comprehensive health care, pre-paid college tuition, and skills training programs that will help them in a career here or elsewhere,” said Lian Neeman, director of benefits at Amazon. "It’s also why we're actively investing in programs like FamilyFlex that are aimed at empowering Amazon employees to better understand and take charge of their physical well-being, financial security, and mental health.”

Here are the 14 new benefits Amazon is offering under FamilyFlex:

New mental health benefits

Amazon has expanded its behavioral health offerings under FamilyFlex to address a wide variety of mental health needs.

• Free pediatric mental health counseling via Brightline. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five children have a diagnosed behavioral health need. To help address this need, Amazon has partnered with Brightline, a leading provider in virtual mental health support for children and teens. All Amazon employees—including hourly employees—in the U.S. now have added support for everyday mental health challenges many children and teens experience. The benefit allows for five free sessions per pediatric mental health issue per year, regardless of benefits enrollment status.
  
• Increased number of free general counseling sessions via RFL. Employees are now eligible to receive five free general counseling sessions, per issue every year, through RFL. This ensures Amazon employees and their families have access to mental health resources, including self-guided programs, mental health coaching, and virtual counseling, in addition to long-standing benefits like no-cost counseling and work-life support.
  
• 24/7 virtual mental health support. Employees can now also access mental health care 24/7 through a new partnership with the app Twill—a digital, self-guided mental health program. Twill also provides mood tracking, science-backed games, and activities designed to help employees and their family members work through negative thoughts, build confidence, and manage stress. Twill allows you to address mental health concerns the moment they arise and can be used as a supplement to your daily well-being routine. It is free for Amazon employees and their family or household members, and it's completely confidential.
  
• Access to community-based family and peer support for mental health needs via NAMI. Amazon has launched a new partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. The partnership is focused on building enhanced access to community-based family and peer support services for Amazon employees, and is a result of a collaboration between Amazon’s Benefits team and its Mental Health and Well-Being affinity group.
  
  Full article can be found here.