Employer deducting health insurance premiums before coverage begins

[davidsp]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Colorado

Hello, As part of my new job, I will receive health benefits beginning December 1.

My employer has said they will begin deducting my portion of health insurance premiums beginning payperiod November 16-29. To me, this doesn't seem fair, as I will be in a sense paying for coverage that I won't have during that period. It of course makes sense to have premiums deducted the following period (Nov 30-Dec 13), during which coverage initiates, but to deduct prior to that, for a payperiod following entirely outside of when I'm covered by the benefit, seems unfair. Am I missing something here that could better help me understand my employer's perspective?

 

[cbg]

You're operating on the assumption that premiums deducted in the pay period of the 16th through the 29th are FOR the pay period of the 16th through the 29th. That is not necessarily the case. It would be where I work, but the possibility does exist that your employer deducts a pay period ahead, and that a deduction taken from the check covering the 16-29th is actually for the 30th-13th. Have you asked your employer?

(For the record, you are perhaps the first person who has asked this question on the boards who has not automatically assumed that a deduction taken from the 16th-29th is not for the 30th-13th. For some reason everyone else always assumes that deductions are taken a pay period ahead. This is actually rarely true. But it does happen.)