Schedule is Benefit Eligible but Director Vetos the Eligibility.

[Guest Jet352]

I was just hired in MA by a company with corp. headquarters in SC. I was hired to work 30hrs/week. According to all of their employee benefit summaries, anything 30 hrs or more is benefit eligible. However, my mgr's boss in SC has decided that I will not be benefit eligible. I am not sure what grounds he is basing this. The HR Director for his area has warned him that this goes against policies. What is my recourse?

[KIP KRAUS]

Something sounds fishy. I don’t know how they can be singling you out as a non-eligible employee unless there is something different about your employee status. Are you on the company payroll or are you being paid through a temporary employment agency?

If you are on the company payroll and eligibility is 30 or more hours of employment, I’d ask to see the Summary Plan Descriptions and read the eligibility provisions.

You can also contact the local Department of Labor and complain to them.

[Guest Jet352]

Funny you should ask... I was offered the position (originally it was to have been an HR Admin. then it changed to Office Supervisor) at the beginning of January and negotiated my salary/hours at that point. The facility mgr. (FM), according to dept. managers who were present, received the approval for all from his division head. So my paperwork was sent to corp. headquarters. I began working at the end of January. After the first week I still hadn't been put on the employee list I brought this up to FM. I sent an e-mail to corp. HR inquiring. At first they said they had all the paperwork, then a few days later they said that they were still missing some things, so I dug up what they then claimed was missing and faxed it to them. Paychecks were issued and I still wasn't on payroll. Last Monday, I again questioned my status and found the Div. Head was still sitting on things. On Wednesday a three way conversation with FM Div.Head and Corp. HR Dir. was supposed to have solved things. My state requires payment of wages no later than 6 days after end of pay period, that was Friday, no paycheck still. (I am hoping that I might at least get something this week, it would be nice). I spoke to Corp. HR and he went to dig into what the problem was. He finally got the paperwork to input me as an employee but found Div. Head had marked it "no benefits" and put me at a level of clerical assistant, same level I am supposed to be supervising. I have looked at the SPD and all say 30 hrs. New hire booklets all say 30 hrs.