Compensation Philosophy
We believe fair, transparent pay is part of how we live our values. Our Compensation Philosophy guides how we set salaries so that pay decisions are consistent, equitable, and free from bias.
Our Goals
- Pay every employee a livable wage
- Account for cost-of-living differences across locations
- Reflect the experience, autonomy, and responsibility each role requires
- Reward longevity with our organization
- Stay competitive with similar roles at similar organizations
- Keep pay equitable across the organization, from entry-level to executive
How We Set Salaries
Rather than negotiating salaries individually, we use a transparent formula to calculate pay for every role. This approach is designed to reduce the wage gaps that can result when some candidates negotiate and others don’t — a dynamic that disproportionately affects women and people of color.
The salary for full-time staff is calculated as follows:
Base Rate + CoL Adjustment + Title Adjustment + Years Adjustment
The wage for part-time staff is adjusted in accordance with hours worked.
Equity Checks
Once a salary is calculated, we check it against a few additional safeguards:
- Livable wage — every salary is checked against recognized living wage standards for the employee’s location
- Market benchmarks — we compare pay to similar roles at similar organizations within animal advocacy, and adjust as needed so no salary falls more than 10% below the market average.
- Pay ratio — we cap the gap between our highest- and lowest-paid employees at 3:1, so leadership compensation never grows out of proportion to the rest of the team
Keeping It Sustainable
Our compensation philosophy is reviewed regularly to make sure it continues to meet these goals, and it’s always applied in a way that protects the financial health of the organization.
Benefits
Paid Time Off & Holidays
- 12 flexible paid holidays
- 15 days paid vacation (increases to 20 after 3 years and 25 after 5 years)
- 10 sick days per year
- 1 day off during your birthday month
- Organization-wide closure on December 31 and January 1
Other Leave
- Paid Family & Medical Leave for qualifying life events
- Sabbatical eligibility after 10 years
- Bereavement leave for family, extended family, and companion animals
Health & Wellness
- U.S. Full Time Employees: employer-sponsored medical with 75% premium coverage of the base level, plus dental & vision
- Canadian Employees: annual health stipend
- Part-time Employees: prorated annual health stipend
Professional Growth & Support
- $500 annual professional development stipend
- $500 annual equipment stipend
Retirement
- Retirement savings plan with employer match up to 2%
Remote & Flexible Work
- Fully remote work environment
- Flexible schedules to support work/life balance
Note: Vacation and stipend amounts are prorated for employees working fewer than 40 hours per week. Staff hired after January 1 will receive a prorated amount based on the number of months remaining in the year.
