We’ll help you to get a pension and make contributions to it if you’re a full-time employee or a full-time contractor. Due to the global distribution of our team, the implementation details will vary depending on how and where you’re employed.
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
In countries where we have a company and can thus employ people directly, we provide workplace pensions.
AUSTRALIA
In Australia, superannuation is paid at the statutory rate of 11%. We’ll give you a Superannuation Choice form to complete at the start of your employment.
UK
In the UK, we’re enrolled with NEST to provide workplace pensions inline with the new enrolment rules. This scheme has been rolled out in the below stages, with all employees now on the Apr 19 schedule (9% total contribution, with 4% from Human Made and 5% from your salary).
| HM’s Contribution | Your Contribution | Total Contribution | |
| Oct 16 | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Apr 18 | 2% | 3% | 5% |
| Apr 19 | 4% | 5% | 9% |
UK employees have two options for contributions on the above rate
- Option 1 is calculated on qualifying earnings*
- Option 2 is calculated on all earnings
*”qualifying earnings”
We calculate contributions based on your qualifying earnings. This means your annual earnings that fall between £6,240 and £50,270 a year. (These figures will be reviewed every year by the government).
If you’d like to move to option 2 (all earnings) let the finance team know.
Please login to your NEST account to see more details including tax relief, opting out, stopping contributions, etc.
US
In the US, we have a 401k plan with Human Interest Once you have enrolled with TriNet (our US payroll provider) you will be sent an email invite enabling you to sign up with Human Interest. We will match contributions up to 4% of your salary.
Contractors
For employees we’re able to employ via payroll, we do this by matching contributions via government schemes, which is mostly automated. For contractors it’s a little more complex, but in short we’ll match your own contributions to any viable retirement fund, up to 4% (i.e. if you pay in 4%, we will too; if you pay in 3%, we will too). Below are the rules and requirements and what we expect from you in the process. Please read the below thoroughly and confirm you have done so upon sending us your plan documentation for review.
Requirements:
- The fund must be in your name
- You must send us (hr@humanmade.com) your retirement plan (or proposal) for approval
- Once approved you can begin adding the monthly contributions as a line item to your
invoice - The fund must be a standard retirement fund (becoming available only on retirement age)
- The fund should not be an insurance plan or include life/personal accident insurance
- The fund should not be a investment account, savings account, or high risk fund
- The fund should have the option of transferring the pot if you decide to switch providers
in the future - As this is a match, you must be depositing at minimum double what you’re invoicing us for
(see the below section on Contribution Matching for details) - You must send us refreshed documentation of the plan upon the renewal date
- Any changes, increases, decreases or transfers of the plan must be communicated to us
in writing at the time they occur (and no later than 7 working days thereafter) - Your plan may include the option to withdraw prior to retirement age, we do not expect
you to do this (as this is counter to the purpose of the plan) but if the circumstance should
arise, we need you to discuss with us prior to any withdrawal
If you fail to meet any of these requirements Human Made will withdraw the benefit. If you
terminate your plan and fail to inform Human Made, you will be liable to pay back Human Made’s
contribution. If you withdraw from the fund prior to retirement you are liable to pay back Human
Made’s contribution.
Contribution matching:
- We will match your own contributions to the retirement fund; up to 4% of your salary
- This means if you contribute 2% of your salary per month, we’ll also contribute 2% of your
salary per month (you’ll be depositing a total of 4%) - If you contribute 6% of your salary each month, we’ll cap our contribution at 4% (you’ll be
depositing a total of 10% each month) - Payments should be deposited monthly and a statement sent to us alongside your
monthly invoices (showing deposits and the rolling balance
If you have questions regarding Pension contributions please direct them to the people team.