Savings & Retirement Plans
To help you save and invest for a comfortable retirement, Bayer offers a 401(k) savings plan, the Bayer Corporation Savings and Retirement Plan (the “S&RP” or “Plan”). This plan offers multiple ways to save for retirement through your own contributions as well as a company match and retirement contributions. Additionally, Bayer offers the Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) as an additional way to save for the future.
S&RP
Eligibility
If you are a regular full-time or part-time employee of the company and are a U.S. citizen, a resident alien, or a person legally entitled to work in the U.S., you are generally eligible to participate in the S&RP as soon as practicable after your date of hire.
Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement are not eligible to join the S&RP or receive company retirement contributions unless the agreement specifically provides for participation in this Plan.
Temporary and Contract Employees
A temporary, co-op, per-diem employee or student intern who completes 1,000 Hours of Service during the 12-month period commencing on his Employment Commencement Date or completes 1,000 Hours of Service during a Plan Year will become an Employee for that Plan Year and all future Plan Years.
In addition, individuals characterized by the company as leased employees, casual employees, and contract employees are not eligible to participate.
Expatriates
Employees who begin work in the United States and transfer to an affiliate outside the United States (an "international transfer"), may elect to contribute before-tax, Roth 401(k), and after-tax contributions to the Plan. Eligible compensation for these employees is equal to "notional salary” and “notional bonus”, adjusted for performance. Otherwise, employees transferred to an entity that has not adopted the Plan are not eligible to participate in the Plan.
Inpatriates
Employees whose employment originated outside the U.S. and who are on temporary assignment within the U.S. (foreign transfers) will not be eligible to participate in this Plan. However, if a foreign transferee localizes, they will be eligible to participate in this Plan from their date of localization forward. Additionally, upon localization, they will also be eligible to receive the 5% company retirement contribution.
Enrollment
How it Works
Fidelity provides administrative services for Bayer’s Savings & Retirement Plan. You can access your account at benefits.bayer.us, the NetBenefits app, or by contacting The Bayer Benefits Center by phone at 1-888-473-1001, Option 1.
- Bayer provides two types of contributions: Company Matching Contributions and Company Retirement Contributions.
- When enrolling in the S&RP, you can choose from three types of employee contributions: Before-tax, After-tax, and Roth.
- You may contribute up to 50% of your eligible compensation, which includes base pay, sales incentives, overtime, commissions, short-term incentives, and Top-Performer Awards.
Automatic Enrollment
- If you do not enroll or actively waive enrollment, you will automatically be enrolled in the S&RP at a before-tax contribution rate of 5% of your eligible compensation, and your contributions will be invested in the Plan’s default fund. Your contribution rate will be automatically increased by 1% each April until it reaches 7%.
- You have 90 days from your date of enrollment to opt out of the S&RP retroactive to your initial enrollment.
Once Enrolled
- If you wish to change or stop your contribution rate, you can do so at any time by accessing your account. Through The Bayer Benefits Center website or NetBenefits app you can also view the Plan details, research the various funds available, request a loan or hardship withdrawal on your 401(k), update beneficiary information, add or update the annual increase election, and access various planning and retirement education tools. To access your account go to benefits.bayer.us, the NetBenefits app or call the Bayer Benefits Center at 1-888-473-1001, Option 1.
Contributions
BEFORE-TAX DOLLARS
When you contribute with before-tax dollars, you pay no federal income taxes on that money until it is withdrawn. However, your before-tax contributions are included in determining the amount of Social Security taxes withheld from your pay.
ROTH 401(k)
Roth 401(k) contributions are made with after-tax dollars. However, if you meet certain requirements, your Roth contributions, including any earnings, can be withdrawn tax-free.*
AFTER-TAX DOLLARS
When you contribute with traditional after-tax dollars you are taxed when the contributions are made. Once you turn age 59 ½, you may withdraw these contributions tax-free. Upon withdrawal, only your investment earnings, if any, on your after-tax contributions will be taxable.
* A distribution from a Roth 401(k), Roth 403(b) and Roth 457(b) is federally tax free and penalty free, provided the five-year aging requirement has been satisfied and one of the following conditions is met: age 59½, disability, or death.
- In 2025, you can contribute up to $23,500 in combined before tax and Roth contributions to your 401(k).
- If you are age 50 and older you can contribute additional catch-up contributions of $7,500 in 2025 (note that catch-up contributions are not eligible for company match).
- Beginning January 1, 2026, if you are ages 60 to 63, you can contribute even more in catch-up contributions. Limits for 2026 will be announced soon.
- Beginning January 1, 2026, employees whose compensation for 2025 is $145,000 or more must elect Roth 401(k) for catch-up contributions.
Company Contributions
Company Matching Contributions
Bayer will match the first 7% of your contribution election to the Plan as follows:
- For the first 3% of your elected contributions, Bayer adds a dollar-for-dollar match to your account.
- For the next 4% of your elected contributions, Bayer adds 50 cents to your account for each dollar.
Vesting on Company Matching Contributions is 100% immediate.
Company Retirement Contributions
In addition to the company matching contributions, Bayer will also contribute 5% of your eligible compensation each pay period.
- You are eligible upon your date of hire/rehire.
- You are 100% vested in Company Retirement Contributions after three years of service. These contributions are made independent of the amount you elect to contribute.
Information for New Hires
- Contributions from a Prior Employer: Bayer does not monitor contributions from previous employers. Please review your year-to-date contributions and adjust your Bayer contribution to ensure you do not exceed any IRS contribution limits for the year.
ESPP
Enrollment
The ESPP offers a simple payroll deduction process to purchase Bayer AG American Depositary Shares (ADSs) at a 15% discount (up to 50% of your eligible compensation, limit $25,000 annually).
- Enrollment periods are held monthly.
- You are eligible upon your date of hire/rehire.
- You have the ability to elect a separate percentage from your STI and Top Performer Award (if any) to purchase ADSs. For new hires, Computershare, Bayer’s third-party administrator, will mail an information packet to your home address. To activate your account, go to www.na.equateplus.com (you must have your personal PIN from the Computershare letter). For questions, or to get your personal PIN, call Computershare at 1-800-205-8303. More information on the ESPP can be found on BayerNet or on the Computershare site. Click Company Info and then select Plan Documentation.