Employee Benefits

Be Part of the Work to Ensure Access to the Arts and Arts Education for All Americans

We provide competitive benefits packages for what you and your family need to make your life better today and to help plan for your future.

Americans for the Arts' ability to attract, motivate, and retain exemplary professionals is key to our success. We provide a variety of programs and benefits to help you balance the demands of work and your life outside the office. Benefits comprise an important component of overall compensation, adding a substantial amount to the total value of a compensation package.

Medical Insurance

Americans for the Arts offers three medical plan choices to our employees and their family through CareFirst. Each plan includes prescription drug coverage and a discount vision care program. Participants also have access to mental health benefits through CareFirst.

  • BlueChoice HMO (DC/MD/Northern VA)
  • BlueChoice Advantage
  • HealthyBlue PPO

Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. Americans for the Arts covers the majority of the cost of the premium for each plan and coverage level. Employee contributions are deducted on a pre-tax basis.

Dental Insurance

Americans for the Arts offers the comprehensive PPO DentalGuard Preferred dental plan through Guardian Life Insurance Company (Guardian). Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. Americans for the Arts covers 100% of the premiums for employee only coverage and much of the cost for your dependents. Employee contributions are deducted on a pre-tax basis.

Vision Plan

Americans for the Arts offers the comprehensive BlueVision Plus vision plan through CareFirst. Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. Americans for the Arts covers 100% of the premiums for employee only coverage and much of the cost of the premium for your dependents. Employee contributions are deducted on a pre-tax basis

Flexible Spending Account

Americans for the Arts’s Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows employees to reduce their taxable income by setting aside pre-tax dollars from each paycheck to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent care expenses.

Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. Employees are eligible to participate in our Medical FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and Transportation accounts. Employee contributions are deducted on a pre-tax basis.

Americans for the Arts funds each eligible employee’s Medical FSA with an employer contribution determined at the start of each year.

Retirement Savings Plan – 403(b)

Americans for the Arts offers our 403(b)-retirement plan through Principal. Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. Our auto-enroll retirement plan enrolls each employees with a 2% pre-tax deferral. Each pay period employees have the option to opt in/out or change deferral amounts to their plan. Americans for the Arts contributes a non-match discretionary profit-sharing contribution each year and a vesting schedule applies.

Life Insurance/Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

Americans for the Arts provides company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance to all eligible employees at two times salary up to $400,000. Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. Employees can purchase additional coverage for added protection for themselves and their dependents under the voluntary life insurance plan.

Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance

Americans for the Arts provides Short-Term and Long-Term disability coverage, through Guardian, to all eligible employees. Coverage is effective on the first of the month following your date of hire. This is a company-paid benefit with Americans for the Arts covering 100% of the premium cost.

Short-Term Disability insurance is intended to supplement an employees salary in the event they cannot work due to a non-work-related injury or illness. This benefit is payable up to 12 weeks. Long-Term Disability provides income protection in the event of an extended illness or injury. Benefits continue through disability.

Leave Plans

Vacation Leave

Employees are granted all vacation hours upfront at the start of each calendar year. Employees with up to 4 years of service receive 15 days of leave each year and employees with 4+ years of service receive 20 days of leave.

Paid Personal Time

Employees are eligible for Paid Personal Time (PPT) after exhausting their Vacation leave. Employees with up to 4 years of service are eligible for 5 days of PPT. After four years of service, employees are eligible for 10 days of PPT.

Sick and Safe Leave

Employees earn up to 12 day of sick and safe leave each year.

Mental Health Wellness

Employees can request up to 3 days of mental health and wellness leave each year.

Volunteer Leave

Employees can receive 1 day of paid volunteer leave to volunteer at an organization of their choice.

Additional Leave Options

Employees are provided with additional paid and unpaid time off as needed for bereavement, military service, school activities, and jury duty.

Holidays

Americans for the Arts offices are closed in recognition of the following paid holidays.

  • New Year’s Day
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • President’s Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Friday following Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day
    • When the workflow allows AFTA will close the office for a Winter Break between Christmas and New Years.
  • Inauguration Day (every 4 years)

Hybrid Work Policy

Americans for the Arts’s Hybrid Work Policy offers staff the option to work from an at home location for a portion of the work week. All positions are based out of our DC Headquarters unless prior approval has been made.

Employee Assistance Plan

Americans for the Arts provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to all employees and their family. This is a 100% company-paid benefit. This confidential service provides general counseling, financial counseling, and advice on medical questions among other information and tools.

Attire

Americans for the Artshas adopted a “dress appropriately” code but recognizes that some positions may call for dressier attire either on a regular basis or as needed. Staff should be prepared with professional attire, when needed.

Training and Development

Each department has a budget designated to professional development for its team members. Employees and manager work together to create their career development paths.

Americans for the Arts automatically enrolls each employee and covers the membership fee to American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) to use in their professional development.

Every employee has access to one-on-one coaching through external coaching agencies.