Q: Can my company force us to pay the 2nd half of the year's health insurance up front?
My company has just announced they will be deducting double payments for our health insurance, essentially paying for the second half of the year up front. I do not consent to this, but is there anything I can do? Are they allowed to do this? Thank you
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
- California
- (916) 704-3009
- View Profile
- Answered
A:
It's understandable to be concerned about changes to your health insurance payments. In California, employers generally need your consent to make significant changes to how deductions are handled. If your company is now requiring double payments upfront for the second half of the year, this could be considered a material change to your employment terms.
Your employer must provide proper notice of such changes, and they typically need your agreement, especially if it affects your take-home pay. Review your employment contract or the company’s handbook to see what agreements were made regarding health insurance payments. If there was no prior agreement allowing for this type of deduction, your company may not have the right to implement it unilaterally.
You can start by discussing your concerns with your HR department to seek clarification or a possible resolution. If the issue isn’t resolved internally, you may consider reaching out to the California Department of Industrial Relations for further guidance. Understanding your rights can help you navigate this situation effectively.
Justia Ask A Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get free answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask A Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between Justia and you, or between any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions and you, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask A Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
