Check Masters

Many of the great perks at Check Masters, which offers check cashing services and payday loans throughout the Puget Sound area, can be given a dollar amount. There's a $1,000 reward for five years of service that can be put toward taking a trip. Then there's the $2,500 reward that comes after 10 years, to spend on an even bigger trip. Any employee who balances his or her cash drawer within $10 gets $50 and is entered into a drawing to win $500 toward a trip. And if a staff member just needs some extra cash because of an emergency or special expense, he or she can arrange payroll advances in the form of short- or long-term loans.

The all-around favorite perk, however, seems to be the birthday and anniversary cards. Sure, they come with a gift card inside for $25 to $50. But the best part is that they're personal and handwritten by the company's owner, and at two cards per year for all 140 employees, that's pretty impressive.

Other top finalists*

• AdaQuest
• Alaska Structures
• BizXchange
• CommoInstallers
• ExtraHop Networks
• Herrera Environmental Consultants
• Plexipixel
• Projectline
• West Monroe Partners

*Listed in alphabetical order