Unpaid Health Benefits

[Guest rickwp]

My employer promised to reimburse me for portion of health insurance premiums I pay to a private insurer, agreed before employment as an agreed benefit. After meeting the 90 day requirement, I approached my employer about starting the $130 per month reimbursement. He said he needed to talk to the accountant and we'd start the next pay period. At the next pay period he said the same thing, hadn't had a chance to talk to the accountant. When asked again, he said the accountant was on vacation for two weeks and we'd look into it when he got back. It is now approxiamately 9 months since being eligible and no reimbursement has been made. Other employees are getting their health premiums paid on private insurance. I recently photocopied the checks that have cleared my bank account which were paid to the insurance provider along with a claim for the unpaid, agreed upon reimbursement. I work for a small employer who has less than 15 employees, actually there are about 9 employees.

My question is: does the employer have a legal obligation to pay these unpaid monthly amounts or am I just out of luck? I'd like to present him with laws or statutes that say he does have to pay, but I have not been able to find any laws or rulings regarding this other than a vague claim that employers do have to pay the benefits they promise to pay.

Also, if anyone in Phoenix, AZ, needs a detail oriented administrative assistant, please let me know...

Thanks for any help,

-Rick

[Guest b2kates]

In general, there is no requirement for an employer to pay for individual private health insurance.

couple of questions

1. does the employer reimburse for the other employees health insurance

2. do you have a written contract acknowlegding the obligation to pay

3. does the employer sponsor a cafeteria plan