This Cannabis Software Company Offers The Most Unique Employment Perk Ever, A First In Any Industry

Jointly Better Inc. is a cannabis software startup with a unique benefit for its employees: the company offers a monthly reimbursement for legal cannabis purchases as part of its compensation program.

David Kooi, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based company says the cannabis advantage will help him hire about 25 employees by the end of the year, which he will need after the company announced a $5 million in seed funding from undisclosed accredited investors last week.

Jointly, founded in 2018, currently only has 10 people on its payroll, but it intends to increase that number to 35 by December 31.

“We have to compete with Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) for the same talent,” Kooi told MarketWatch. “We can’t compete on price because these companies have more money.”

So how about a benefit that no other company would dream of offering?

Introduce the weed refund benefit as a first in any industry, Reimburse jointly up to $150 per month for legal cannabis purchases as part of the company’s efforts to set a “new standard” for attracting top talent.

He jointly researched various medical, dental, and vision benefit plans before coming up with the idea of ​​cannabis reimbursement.

“It’s part of life management and part of the stress management toolkit,” Kooi said. “I hope other people like the idea and want to emulate us.”

In the same way that some companies encourage their employees to exercise with free gym memberships or to eat well because it will make them more productive, “deliberate cannabis use” can be good for the good. to be, Kooi said, adding that happy, healthy people make better employees. Although he pointed out that Jointly prohibits employees from being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol on company premises.

Another good reason: The company seeks to counter decades of viewing cannabis as a banned drug that is more harmful than good.

“I know from working at big companies — even companies with anti-cannabis policies — that some of their best employees use cannabis,” Kooi said. “It has been unfairly stigmatized and lumped together with things that are much worse for you. In fact, it contributes to a better lifestyle – more than alcohol.

Eric Gutshall, co-founder and chief development officer at Jointly, said the company developed the benefit with its legal, tax and human resources advisors, according to a prepared statement. Also co-received an attorney on the benefits of cannabis from a law firm Vicente Sederberg LLP.

The company allows the use of prescription drugs and cannabis, “as long as they don’t create safety issues or interfere with an employee’s ability to do their job.”

Photo: Courtesy of David Kooi adjusted by JRod de Benzinga