Help! I do not know what to do!

[MichaelO]

I live in Orlando, Florida...

Last November, i was approached by another company in town about working for them. They offered me "full-time" employment. They also offered me insurance and 401k after 90 days. Shortly after i started working for them, i was putting in 40 - 70 hours per week... all seemed to be going well.... my 90 days came and went, and i have asked many times about my benefits, only to be put off with "i will talk to the owner about that" I am now well past my 90 days, with no sign of my benefits... my old insurance has now lapsed... aqnd now to add insult to injury, their business seems to have slowed down, and they "have no work right now"

So in essence, i am now unemployed with no benefits... and no warning! I unfortunately never got anything in writing from them, however, does it make any sense for someone to quit a fulltime job with Walt Disney World to work for a small company with no benefits??

Any suggestions??

 

[JETX]

With full awareness of the possibility of retaliatory flames, I have to answer your questions as follows:

Q1) "does it make any sense for someone to quit a fulltime job with Walt Disney World to work for a small company with no benefits??"
A1) Maybe. It depends on a mulitude of other factors, such as: money, job satisfaction, distance to work, happiness, future potential, security, and so on. Obviously, you made the change for something (and not only for insurance or 401k). And lets not forget that DisneyWorld is just going through layoffs and cut-backs as we speak.

Q2) "Any suggestions??"
A2) Get another job. Maybe DisneyWorld will hire you back.

Shields at full power! "Captain, I'm givin' 'ya all the thrust she's got!!"

 

[MichaelO]

I am in the process of looking for another job... i was actually trying to find out if i have any legal standing... at least on the benefits and stuff... does an employer have a legal obligation relating to benefits??

 

[JETX]

Did you have an insurance claim during the period of time that you would have been covered??? If so, depending on the specifics of 'promised' coverage, you might have a claim for recovering those damages. However, if you did not have a claim, you have NOT been damaged, ergo, no claim.

Normally, 401K programs are not designed (and have no value) to employees who are employed for only 90 days or so. The best you would have recovered would have been your own contributions and not any company funded ones. Also, most 401k plans have a set distribution date (January 1, July 1, or such) when the company matches the employees funds. If you were not vested (would be unusual with only 90 days), or if you were not working on that distribution day, you would NOT be entitled to any funds other than your own. Again, no damages.