A couple weeks ago I got some information in the mail about signing up for insurance.
I was told before that you had to average 25 hours a week to get insurance. If I sign up for the insurance, and I drop below 25 hours a week, would I lose the insurance or is it that once I get it I keep it no matter what?
Because I haven't signed up yet but this week I only had 18 hours, and will probably get low hours the next couple weeks until someone goes on vacation (or they fire someone but thats a different story)
But what I mean is, once you sign up, if your average goes under 25 hours, do you lose the insurance? Or is it once you sign up, you're in?
Because next week I only get 15 hours.... major cutbacks from the remodel :/
I assume my average was over 25 since they sent me the information. But if it was 25 hours, it was probably just barely over. So with the last two weeks, my average dropped again.
I was wondering the same thing. I was working an average of 25 to 35 hours a week and I got a part time job on a military base (hopefully moving up to full time later on this year), but when I quit my job at Kroger, my Boss said that if I was moving to another part time job, I was welcomed to stay and that they would work around my new schedule and I could get as many hours as I needed. I'm guess it would be around 15 to 20 hours if I do decide to stay, but would I be able to keep my insurance? or will the fact that Ill be working under 25 hours take away my insurance benefit?
Yes and no. Kroger is really bad about making sure nobody gets insurance if they fall under the limit.
It's calculated monthly. If you work over the minimum hour of numbers for a month, you'll be able to pay for and recieve your insurance benefits the next month. If you work under the minimum, it's cancelled for the next month. They will check, and if you averaged 24.8 hours, they'll make sure you DONT get it. The exact hours number is set by your contract, get a copy and read it.
Also be sure that (in some KMA's at least) they will schedule you just under the limit. Like give you plenty of hours weeks 1-3 of the month and really knock you back for week 4.
I guess I'll just fill out the paperwork then and see what happens. I'm not going to get my hopes up. I don't see why the 25 hours even matters, i wouldn't mind paying the rate out of even a 16 hour check. But I guess there's nothing I can do about that.
I guess I'll just fill out the paperwork then and see what happens. I'm not going to get my hopes up. I don't see why the 25 hours even matters, i wouldn't mind paying the rate out of even a 16 hour check. But I guess there's nothing I can do about that.
Its all about the amount of money Kroger is putting in. The contract stipulates that say for every hour worked by every employee, $2.32 be contributed by the company to the Health Insurance Trustee to pay for the plan. By Kroger's calculations, if you dont work at least that 25 hours or whatever your contract puts as the bottom limit, then enough hasn't been contributed to the plan. But heres the kicker - they only have to contribute that money for employees that are elligible for insurance. If they keep the # of employees that are eligible down, then the amount of money Kroger has to contribute is that much less.
You wouldn't be able to pay the rate out of a 16 hour paycheck! I remember getting one of those "Your Total Benefits" mailers a couple years ago. They tell you the "actual" cost of your benefits by saying how much was contributed on your behalf towards health insurance, pension, etc. My wages were something like $33k for that year, but almost $5500 was paid towards health insurance, and $3000+ into the pension plan. I think they are inflating that a bit, but its not inaccurate. Low-deductible health insurance is VERY expensive.
I just decided to move, and dont have insurance at the moment through an employer since Im not employed yet. So I bought an individual plan from Cigna. With a $5k deductible, but 100% coverage for preventative care, its $83 a month. Just imagine what the monthly charge would be for a $300 deductible!
On our contract, it clearly spells out what happens and can still be confusing.
Ours is based on each quarter. If you average 28 hours a week in the first quarter, you will have insurance for the second quarter. If you fall below the 28 hours weekly in the second quarter, your insurance will be froze(temporarily cancelled) during the third quarter. If you once again average more than 28 hours weekly during the third quarter, you will once again have insurance during the fourth quarter.
Your magic # appears to be 25 hours weekly. Ours for anyone hired after 2010 is 28 hours weekly. Anyone hired before 2010 is 20 hours weekly.
Currently, the schedule writers are trying real hard to give part timers 26-27.5 hours a week.
