Can an employer cut hours so you lose your health benefits..is that legal?

Question

Was hired full time almost 6 years ago. And after 4 managers later they have cut my hours to 30 I need 32 to keep health insurance. Also 2/3 of the health insurance premium comes out of my check. No raise in over 4 years. They say my employment record was lost a couple of managers ago. Last manager said they kept trying to get me a raise but the office keeps saying no. So now they are cutting my hour. I think they are trying to get me to quit. I'm a good worker...only employee that has been there that long. I'm 55 so finding other job in a rural area is hard.

Answer 1

An employer can not cut your hours so that they do not have to provide you health benefits. The problem is that it is impossible to prove that an employer has cut hours for that specific reason. When confronted an employer will always state that they are going by the business needs of the company.

Answer 2

It does not sound right. How can anyone lose health benefits by employers cutting employees hours? The employees are still paying for it? Are the employer paying for the employee's health benefits? It does not sound legal too me, because if you paying for it, not the employer and he/she knows you have health benefits, how much you pay rent, and so forth from how much he pays you for working for him which tells me he/she is doing it on purpose. It sounds like the employer is either trying to cheat the insurance scheme or trying to get you to quit so they don't have to pay severance package. However, an employer can not cut your base salary or deduct anything without the approval of judges or tax person or have to ask you if you are will to take wage rollback other wise they may have to lay you off due to downsizing, but can cut your hours depending on how well the business is doing. Unless you made a or sign a agreement with the company how many hours they must provide you to work. That's where a lawyer may have to come in after if things don't go right. Some employers may have a tough time paying employees to keep business alive if the business is not doing so well. But if they are doing quite well, something is shady is going on. If they make if difficult for you to afford to pay for it and still want you to work for them, it sounds like they are trying to do harm health wise which Human Rights should be involved.

Answer 3

Contact the department of Labor in your area, I work in California- which is a "At will state" meaning that a employer can fire you for just about any reason. And remember it is not really the employer who makes up the regulations of a health insurance plan, the insurance companies have mandates of hrs. worked and how many hours are necessary to be qualified for group insurance.

Answer 4

If you were hired as part-time or p/t temporary, your employer has the right to adjust your hours as he/she sees fit. They can justify their decision by stating that your job doesn't require that many man hours to complete. You need to know the status of your "hire"....then if your boss isn't complying with that agreement and cuts your hours, you can visit your local unemployment office and collect unemployment compensation(if you've worked enough quarters in the year) to make up for the time lost. Your health benefits shouldn't be based on time worked anyway...you probably have to pay all or a portion of it...it should be up to you if you want to drop your benefits or keep them. There are so many variable factors in a question like this...contact your human resource representataive for the proper answers regarding your company.

Answer 5

Unfortunately it seems employers in most states can do whatever they wish. It is up to you to prove they did something for a specific reason. Most likely you will find yourself working in a different job than be given what you feel you deserve from an unappreciative employer. Best of luck to you.

Answer 6

Welcome to the real world. I work full time and my company does not offer any insurance- so i have to pay 546.00 per month just for me to have health insurance. At the rate insurance is rising, I will need another full time job just to make my premiums.

Answer 7

I would bring up the issue with you local mayor or tv/radio newsperson to apply pressure to the store manager. This works well in our city. Do you have any friends in the health/safety/fire inspection areas?

Answer 8

I don't think it is legal to cut hours so you lose benefits, but how do you prove it? You can always COBRA your benefits if there are 20 or more employees where you work.

Answer 9

There are many ways to skin a cat. It is obviuous that they may be doing this to elude, but in the long run what comes around goes around.

Answer 10

They can in n.y. but there working on these companys that call you part time and work you 50 hrs. aweek like p&c grocery