Steve,

When we get our annual review, the cost of our benefits are included, so even though I work for $X per year, my "compensation" package is $X + the value of the sick leave, + the value of the paid vacation, + the value of the employer share of the health benefits, + the value of the education benefits, + the value of the employer contribution to retirement, + + +.

If I were to go independent I would need to charge a lot more than my hourly rate because I would be paying for these things myself.

Some employers offer "family" health care packages, so only one spouse needs to be employed for the family to be covered. If your wife is currently a homemaker, then that leaves you responsible to provide this coverage for the family. If she is at a job which only covers her, perhaps she could change to another job rather than you. Where I am, benefits are available for .75 fte employees, so you may be able to work less than full time at your new job and still have some benefits.

Since you work from home, you do not need to subtract the cost of gasoline, parking, etc. from your compensation package. A new job may require that you invest in some new clothes and you would need to factor that in also.

From the wife/woman's perspective, security is very important. Benefits give a feeling of security. From one who is a little older than you, health benefits become more important either as one ages, or when one has small children who generally see a doctor more often than a young adult.