benefits

[robocop]

What is the name of your state? Florida, I work for a Village as a Police Officer!

In relation to health benefits, I signed a release to start taking out health premiums in May of 04 for family health coverage. I just received notice that they failed to take out the premiums for 8 months of the coverage, however I did receive the coverage, and they want me to be debted to them for three years @ $25.00 a pay check for the payment that they neglected to take out..Am I obligated to do so? I am being told the HR dept. had an obligation to advise me of the error, correct it in an reasonable amount of time....8 months is not reasonable to me. Total of this is $2,002.00 to me the financial dept. made an error and should take it as a lesson learned. However, a part of me in the spirit of being fare thinks I should negotiate a fare settlement for both parties, so there is no bad blood. Anyone know the legal obligation I have, I need to give a response soon to the HR dept. Any suggestions on legal jargon I can use to help my case..etc.

Before everyone takes my head off, give you some more back ground. Yes, I have an obligation to look at my check every two weeks, however this is the only time premiums have ever been taken out for my family, we changed coverage from my wife's plan, so my check stayed the same as it has been for years and I did not catch the error! I recognize this, and no in Florida they just can't take the $$$ from my check and no they can't demand I pay it in full now or else, and no I can't get held accountable because I failed to notify them. senses to all things! My union is telling me under Florida law HR dept. has a reasonable time to notify me of the error not the other way around. I am asking do I have a legal obligation to pay this, or settle or not do anything, I am looking at my options! Thank you for your responses and no I am not out for a free ride! What is the fair thig to do for both parties????
Thanks ,

Robo

 

[Beth3]

How about your responsibility to inform them that the premiums weren't being withheld? This is a two-way street and ultimately you're the "quality control" person for your paycheck. Obviously somebody in HR or payroll made an administrative error. That happens. But it's hard to understand that you never noticed the premiums weren't being deducted. If I've done the math correctly, a deduction of $250/month should have been made for each of those eight months.

Unless there is some municipal reg (or something in your CBA if there's a police union) to the contrary, then yes, you need to pay for the premiums you agreed to for the benefits you received. $25 per paycheck is an extremely reasonable repayment plan. If they wanted to, they could demand you write them a check for all the premiums you owe. They could also discipline you for dishonesty for failing to inform them the deductions weren't being made.

 

[cbg]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to operate on the idea that when someone makes a financial error in their favor, they should be allowed to keep the money. Often they are the first to shout if they are shorted by any amount.

So if you are writing a check to pay for some merchandise at the store and accidently write the check for the wrong amount, the store should be allowed to keep the money and not refund it to you?