Compensation and benefits

PwC communicates with transparency about the competitiveness of an employee’s salary, how pay is set, and what the potential career earning opportunities are for each individual. PwC strives to provide employees with a competitive package that surpasses what direct competitors offer through a combination of: salary, bonus opportunities, milestone and recognition awards, non-monetary awards, and health and financial benefits. This balanced approach results in a compensation program that delivers value with depth to meet the needs of the employee and the firm.

As part of our commitment to communicating with transparency around our compensation initiatives, PwC provides tools to put context around our compensation levels at various stages of any employee’s career, as well as external pay competitiveness. Quarterly financial updates provide employees with greater visibility into the linkage between pay and performance, and allow them to track their progress toward annual performance bonus targets.

In 2011, PwC established Career Milestone Awards, which recognize employees’ sustained efforts and contributions at various stages of their careers. These Milestone Awards include a unique leadership development experience for new senior associates, a significant financial bonus for new managers over and above their annual incentive compensation, and a paid sabbatical leave of up to four weeks for new senior managers and directors.

Additional award opportunities include:

• Contribution awards/Spot bonuses In an average year, the majority of our people receive a recognition award for strong performance. These might include gift checks or cash awards, and high-achieving staff members can receive multiple awards during a given year.
• Industry recognition bonuses Each year, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants honors a number of individuals with the Elijah Watt Sells award for the highest cumulative scores on the Uniform CPA Examination. PwC awards a bonus of $20,000 to any PwC staff member who receives this prestigious industry recognition.
• Credentialing bonuses PwC rewards our Assurance and Tax associates who complete their CPA or other qualifying exams in a timely manner. Bonuses can be as high as $5,000 if the exam is successfully completed within one year of a qualifying employee’s start date.
• Referral bonus PwC employees are one of the best sources of identifying qualified talent for our experienced hire opportunities. Employees who submit a referral receive bonuses if a candidate is successfully placed and employed for a specified period of time.
• Tuition reimbursement The Educational Support Program offers financial support to eligible staff members interested in pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.
• Wellness bonus Financial rewards are provided to employees for engaging in healthy and responsible behaviors.