Private Sector Perks Checklist: What to Ask HR
A practical checklist of benefits private-sector employees in India often leave unclaimed, with the questions to ask HR and the documents to keep.
4 min read · Published 5 October 2026 · Updated
Short answer
Private employers often offer more than your payslip shows, but benefits only help if you ask about them. Use this checklist the next time you talk to HR.
Start with three documents
- Your offer letter and latest CTC (Cost to Company) breakup.
- The benefits section of your HR portal or employee handbook.
- Your most recent payslip.
Compare them. Anything in the offer letter or handbook that does not appear on your payslip is worth asking about.
Questions to ask HR
Health and insurance
- What is the sum insured, and does it cover my spouse, children and parents? See group health insurance.
- What are the room-rent cap, co-pay and waiting periods?
- Is there term life or accident cover, and who is my nominee?
Tax-friendly pay
- Is employer NPS (Section 124) available? See NPS employer contribution.
- Which flexible components, such as meal vouchers, phone and internet reimbursement or LTA, are on offer?
- When is the declaration window?
Money and savings
- How is my provident fund calculated, and can I add voluntary contributions?
- When does gratuity become payable?
- Is there a leave encashment policy?
Everyday benefits
- Is there a learning or certification budget?
- Are there wellness, health check-up or counselling benefits?
- Is there relocation or work-from-home support?
Cards and travel
- Does my salary account include a credit card or lounge access? See salary account card perks.
- Is there a corporate travel programme? See staff flight and travel concessions.
Keep these records
- Declaration forms and acknowledgements.
- Bills and receipts you submit for reimbursement.
- Policy documents and e-cards.
- Emails confirming anything HR agrees to.
Common mistakes
- Missing the declaration window and losing a tax benefit for the year.
- Assuming health cover continues after you leave.
- Not checking whether a benefit is extra or part of CTC.
- Buying something before checking that it can be reimbursed.
Related perks and tools
- Employer group health insurance
- NPS employer contribution
- Salary account credit card and lounge perks
- Calculator: Old vs new tax regime
- Go deeper: 15 perks private employees forget to claim
Official sources
FAQ
Where do I find my company's benefits?
Check your offer letter, the HR portal and the benefits handbook, then ask HR or payroll for anything unclear.
Are perks part of my CTC?
Often yes. Ask HR whether each benefit is extra or carved out of your CTC, because using it then changes the form of your pay, not the total.
When should I ask about benefits?
At joining, at the start of the financial year when declarations open, and at appraisal time.
What if my employer does not offer a benefit?
Ask anyway. Smaller companies can often add or restructure benefits when employees raise it.
Do benefits continue after I leave?
Usually not. Group health cover and most allowances end on your last working day, so ask about conversion or portability.
Written by
PerkNavigate Editorial Team
Some figures come from reputable secondary sources and are marked in the post.
Every guide is checked against official sources. How we verify perks.
Government employee? Find your salary by pay level and see 8th Pay Commission scenarios.