Dishonest negotiation tactics - Anonymous employee Marathon TS Employee Review

2.0
Aug 4, 2020
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Explained role well - Facilitated interviews well - Time tracking and admin tasks were easy

Cons

- Not straightforward about benefits - Felt like they were dishonest and trying to trick me during negotiations A story about negotiating benefits: Another company (for which I now work full time) used Marathon to hire me on a 6 month contract to hire deal. When negotiating salary and benefits with Marathon, I asked for healthcare benefits, PTO, and paid vacation days (like the 4th, Christmas, etc.). They sent me a document explaining pretty standard benefits here and I said it looked good, assuming I would get all of the benefits listed. They then sent me an offer letter which stated that I only got healthcare and PTO, but no paid vacation days. I was confused about this, and when I brought it to their attention they said that they couldn't provide me with both PTO and paid vacation days. I thought this was very dishonest of them, since I the document sent to me implied I would get all of the benefits listed. I additionally had trouble getting a straight answer on when my healthcare benefits would kick in. Marathon has a first of the month after the first 30 days of employment policy. I started on January 2, so I figured my benefits would start February 1. However, though I asked multiple times, this was never explicitly confirmed by Marathon. I called one more time in late January to make sure that my benefits would start in February and was told that they would actually start in March. I was able to get them to correct this and start them in February, but I felt like they were either not familiar with their own policy, or trying to swindle me out of a month of healthcare. Either way I did not appreciate it.

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Marathon TS Response
5y
Thank you for your feedback, and I am sorry things were not clearer during your discussions with us. However, I know this was not done out of nefarious intent. On the contrary, we strive to properly manage expectations for all of our candidates – that includes making sure candidates fully understand our benefits and the different options available. It sounds like we did a good job of explaining the role, our time tracking and reporting policies, and facilitating interviews; but we did not do a good job of communicating our benefits to you, and again, I am sorry for that. We do offer flexible benefits options that can be tailored to meet any individual and/or family needs. Our benefits start the 1st of the month following a full month of work. In the example you provided, starting January 2nd, your benefits would start March 1. This is outlined in our employment agreement that we provide to all new hires, and is within the law that states employers have 90 days after the start of employment to activate health Insurance policies. I'm glad you followed-up with us on your benefits and that we were able to solve the problem very quickly – you will find that is something common with us; we solve problems quickly. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any additional questions or concerns! Thank you!

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5.0
Jun 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

It’s essentially a staffing agency that places you as a subcontractor with one of their clients. Overall, I’ve had a positive experience, and the opportunity helped me transition from W-2 employment to a 1099 arrangement. I made the switch because contractor roles often don’t offer the strongest benefits, and after discussing the pros and cons with my primary point of contact—who was very knowledgeable and resourceful—I determined that the 1099 model provided greater overall value for my situation. The contracts do require you to stay engaged, proactive, and on top of your assignments. From what I’ve observed, the company primarily supports government contracts and larger consulting firms, which provides exposure to complex initiatives, experienced professionals, and valuable industry knowledge. The compensation has been competitive, but honestly, the professional network I’ve built and the career development opportunities have been even more valuable.

Cons

The primary drawback was that their benefits package wasn’t particularly strong, though that’s somewhat understandable given they’re a smaller and relatively young consulting firm. From what I’ve seen, they’ve been making improvements in that area. Still, it may be worth considering whether securing your own benefits plans would better align with your needs.

1.0
Mar 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

They connected me with many great people who are in the same boat. Other than that, none that I can think of.

Cons

This was the worst employment experience of my career. I was recruited for a role and the whole process took over 3 months, only to be laid off in 1 month. I was skeptical about the stability of the job I was being recruited for, and every time I asked questions or raised concerns, I was dismissed. I was told the client and contractor had a good relationship and that the contract was likely to renew multiple times. In reality, the contract expiration was in discussion the entire time and I was made aware of it on my first day. Marathon claimed they weren't aware of this and I don't know what's worse - to have such a poor relationship with the client you don't know the basics of your own contracts or if they did know and just chose not share the info with their candidates. Either way, several people in my cohort and I were sold a lie. I would advise to keep looking if you are considering contracting for them.

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