As an employee, there’s a good chance you receive benefits from your employer. These can include but are not limited to health insurance, group life insurance, group disability insurance and access to a retirement account.
While you expect your employer to pay benefits as outlined in your employment contract and handbook, there could come a point when they stop doing so. There are many reasons for this, with financial challenges at the top of the list.
If you run into this issue, here’s what you should do:
- Contact your HR department: Notify them of your situation and ask what is going on. There’s a chance that a simple accounting or administrative mistake is to blame. But if it isn’t, you want to find out exactly what’s happening and how your employer will make it right.
- Organize your evidence: For example, if you have evidence that you’re no longer covered by your group health insurance plan, keep it nearby. In this case, you can also contact the provider directly to see if they can shed any additional light on the situation.
- Learn more about your legal rights: You hope to work things out directly with your employer, but if it’s not possible you need to learn more about the steps you can take to protect your rights and hold your company responsible for violating them.
A failure to pay benefits is every bit as harmful as a failure to compensate you for your work. If this happens, it’s the steps you take next that will determine what’s best for your future. Find out more about your legal rights today.
