When it comes to employee perks, one company is thinking outside the box. Boxed, an online Costco-like retailer, just announced it will pay for employees' weddings, up to $20,000.
Boxed CEO, Chieh Huang made the announcement at a company-wide meeting inside their Edison, New Jersey facility when he discovered an employee, Marcel Graham needed help. The 26-year-old packer was working seven days a week to save up for his wedding, but then his mother got sick. Graham had to pay his mother's medical bills which drained his savings for his upcoming wedding in November. Graham was trying to hold it together, but one day he broke down in tears on the warehouse floor.
Huang told The Huffington Post, he called Graham that night to find out what was going on.
We had to step in and do the right thing," said Huang.
Boxed secretly arranged to have Graham's fiancee, Tara Aucoin, in attendance, and then the two were surrounded by the rest of the company and told the news, that Boxed will be stepping in to pay for their big day.
"It was overwhelming, that Boxed would pay for my wedding," said Graham. "I was in tears, and so was my fiancee. It just makes me feel that they appreciate my work here."
Huang then surprised his employees by telling them this benefit would apply to ALL full-time employees from their fulfillment centers in New Jersey, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Dallas, as well as their corporate and support offices in New York City and San Mateo, California.
"It then just felt right to extend this benefit to all our valued employees," said Huang.
This isn't the first time Boxed has surprised its employees. In 2015, Huang announced he would be personally paying for the college tuition for all of the children of his employees.
Boxed also offers unlimited maternity and paternity paid leave.
They are also hiring for a wide range of jobs right now.