Stay away, stay away - Anonymous employee Empower Insurance Group Employee Review

Work schedule was very cool

PTO could have been better

Hours are straight forward with the opportunity for overtime. Recent changes in Claims Management have improved operations of that department. Company has won many rewards in the past for customer service and products. Empower benefited so much from the bursting of the housing bubble that it started it's own MGA called Alinsco Insurance Company. Company encourages employee input on process improvement. HR has lightened up some with regards to hours off for sick family/children when there is no other caregiver. Many complaints to EEOC and the Labor Board have corrected most of HR's tyrannical policies. Company Christmas party is definitely one to experience.

Hourly compensation is at the bottom of the average pay scale and there are no benefits except a 401-K which lost everyone's money due to the housing market failure of 2002. Health/life insurance is offered through it's own health/life department, but the company doesn't contribute. Over the past few years, Empower has outsourced it's customer service to South American countries and is working to also outsource their underwriting. Opportunities for advancement are scattered and you are most likely to get a lateral move over a promotion with pay increase. Micro-management is typical of smaller companies, however it doesn't do much for an adult persons morale to be treated like an incompetent child. When an employee breaks a policy rule or guideline, the whole of employees are punished, not just the offender. Mother's with sick children or elder parents are given a hard time when needing days off to tend to family needs. I know of one person who's husband was in the ER and unconscious. When they called HR to say they weren't coming in, HR asked them if they could just 'drop them off and come in'. Another person's mother passed away and HR wanted them to check in EVERY DAY. There are several people working there that has or have a family member that has cancer. Most recently someone had to go over HR's head to stop the constant pressure to come to work. Empower just doesn't compete in employee compensation when compared to similar companies in the DFW area.