Benefits & Perks
Since most Dwarves Foundation employees work in Saigon, this section is written with that as the default. Some benefits don’t make sense in other countries. We will try our best to provide comparable benefits and perks as it makes sense, though.
Team Growth
Continuing Education Allowance (CEA)
We encourage you to grow by learning and playing with new technologies. You’ll get a yearly budget for your learning and development goals, from books to conferences.
If you’re interested in taking classes that you feel improve you professionally or personally, you have a $300 annual stipend to do so. This benefit is applied to any full-time Dwarf who has been here for more than 6 months.
Conference
In the case of conferences, the company will pay 50% of all expenses for approved job-related conferences and seminars. We’ll pay 100% of the expenses if you participate as Guest Speaker.
To get approval to attend a conference, submit a request to the Ops Team. In your request, provide as much detail as possible about the conference dates, your total expected out-of-office time, the costs of attending, the benefits expected to be gained by attending, any potential disruption to client work, etc. We will check on a case-by-case basis.
Work Supplies Expense
The company will pay for work-related expenses, such as software or office supplies. If you have any doubts about whether or not to expense something, just ask. Get a receipt when you purchase work supplies. Take a photo of that receipt, and send it along with the request ticket in Basecamp for the reimbursements via the paycheck.
Project Commission
The company will pay a commission on revenues it receives from each project which the employee procures. The commission will consist of 5% of the gross revenues for the project. This may be split amongst multiple salespeople. A project does not have to have a salesperson.
Year-End Gift
At the end of every year, Dwarves gives a thank-you gift to employees. This gift comes in the form of a cash bonus / or as presents. The bonus is accompanied by a beautiful keepsake that contains ideas & inspiration for how to use your bonus, but ultimately how you spend it or save it is up to you.
Monday Radio Talk
We work and grow alongside tech. Besides the daily project work, the team forms different study groups based on mutual tech interests. It is either learning new techniques, discussing trends, creating products or applying practice that benefits in the long run. We host a weekly Monday Radio Talk, where each presenter showcases their learning to the team. After each session, we format the audio file and upload them onto Dwarves Youtube.
We also reserve a budget to reward the valuable knowledge from the team. The more you contribute, the more bonus you get up to no limits.
Teammate Support
Employee Liquidity Pool
If Dwarves Foundation is ever sold or part of an IPO, tenured employees will be eligible to receive a portion of 5% of the company’s value. That 5% would be divided into units, based on the number of employees we have at the time. People at Dwarves Foundation for less than 1 year would receive 0 units, someone employed 1 year would receive 1 unit, and so on, until you’re fully vested at 5 years for 5 units.
Employee Stock Option Plan
You can own the company if you don’t want to be just tenured employees. As part of the package, being a significant contributor will give you the right to buy a certain amount of company shares at a predetermined price. We will discuss this on a case-by-case basis.
Employee Referral Bonus
We usually hire, and to keep the quality bar, the Dwarves are encouraged to recommend friends that you think they match with the team. We believe your suggestions should be helpful as you have to know the person.
The company will pay a referral bonus to any employee who refers an applicant to our company hired by the company to a full-time position. The bonus is only applicable once the applicant successfully becomes a full-time Dwarves and is a part of at least one project.
The referring employee must still be employed with the company when the bonus is to be given.
Employee Profit-Sharing
Dwarves sometime offer 5 - 10% of its annual company profits with employees, which is distributed in shares based on tenure. Profits are distributed after the books are closed on the previous fiscal year, usually around March.
This model is eligible to participate after two years of working at Dwarves Foundation. The Program does not have any set expiration date, but the company reserves the right to amend it or cancel it at any time. You forfeit your shares in the profit sharing program if you resign or are terminated from Dwarves.
Paid Time Off
Dwarves Foundation offers two weeks of paid vacation, a few extra personal days to use at your discretion, and the official national holidays every year. This is a guideline, so no problem if you need a couple of extra days. We don’t track your days off; we use the honor system. Just make sure to check with your team before taking an extended absence so they’re not left in the lurch.
Short-term Disability
On top of Paid Time Off, the company offers a self-funded short-term disability (STD) plan to all its employees. If you fall ill or injure yourself and cannot work because of it, let us know, and you can take 30 days off at 75% pay. If after that, you’re still unable to work, the STD policy kicks in, and you’ll continue to earn 50% of your salary until you’re better, up to 6 months off. These days are an emergency reserve, in addition to your vacation/sick time described above. If you still cannot work after this period, talk to your manager, and we will discuss what comes next on a case-by-case basis.
Flight Tickets to Dwarves Hubs
We encourage our teammates to try out the Dwarves Hubs across the country. Besides the HQ in HCMC, Dwarves Hubs are also located in Da Lat & Da Nang.
We provide a package of flight ticket 4 times a year, with a maximum amount of 2.000.000 VND for each travel time. With a borderless software firm, we believe that giving people the flexibility to try out the work hubs and visit their teammates is a must.
Annual Healthcare
We do have Bao Viet insurance, but we wish to provide more healthcare services beyond that. This annual healthcare supports the Dwarves with a healthcare package of 4.000.000VND, takes place annually around February or March, which includes:
- Overall healthcare checkup
- Cancer screening
- Female & Male healthcare
- Ear, nose & throat
- Blood & urine examination (sample test will be taken at our office)
If you request further checkup, a 5-25% discount will be applied for full-time employees.
Parental Leave
When you welcome a new child, we encourage you to take up to 6 months leave for primary caregivers not more than 2 months before giving birth. The father is allowed up to 5 days of leave as a secondary caregiver. And if you have twins, you can take up to 10 fully paid days off. All parental leaves are at 100% base salary.
These benefits only applied for full-time Dwarves who have been on-boarded for more than 6 months in advance of pregnancy (internship and probation period are omitted).