Hello MMMers.
My husband works for a family owned business with 5 or so employees. In October, my husband was told that the company would no longer offer health insurance, and the family policy we had would end dec 31, 2013. We had been paying 50%, which amounted to 160$ a week being taken out of his check, after taxes, etc. So, approx 650$ a month was our share. That policy had a 1500 per person deductible and 3500 out of pocket max per person.
the company brought in an insurance agent last month with some quotes and plans. Husband says Boss said something about giving Husband "cash" to help cover it. But it is not specific and Husband is extremely reluctant to ask about it again. (extremely. like, wont.)
I feel like he has essentially lost a key benefit. for the past several years (maybe even 4) he has been encouraged to work overtime, he gets paid hourly, and he averaged 8-10 OT a week, at time+half, which was 100-200 extra net dollars a week. This year that stopped. another big loss for us.
(This part is not really the company's concern, but in the past two years we had 3 medical events that we paid around 5k each for, and there is a high likelyhood that my husband will have to pay the max out of pocket this year, too. and maybe for every year from now on.)
The new policy I signed up for is 580/month with a 6k deductible/ 6 k max out of pocket (us and 2 kids)
Although the monthly premium is half the old one, the deductibe and out of pocket are significantly higher and we will likely have to pay at least one.
if my husband needs surgery this year (unknown, but possible) he will likely lose several weeks of work, unpaid, and we have no supplemental insurance.
So, I had emailed his boss because they were still taking the weekly fee out and I wanted to find out what date that ended and then Boss emailed this back:
"Let me know if you need any help, I do still plan on giving (your husband) a year end bonus, hopefully soon.
Our sales were down 28% this year, so it has been a bit rough, but I am working on some new clients for 2014.
(your husband) is a good guy and you guys make a great family, I consider you guys like my family too. "
Is this an opportunity for me to ask about cash compensation (or any other kind?) for our new policy? I have, in the past, had emails with the Boss where Ive asked if my husband is due for a review, helped plan husbands time off for vacation and other lesser questions. Husband did get a review and a raise in 2012, after the email discussion I had with the Boss. but he could have planned to do that already and thought I was butting in and I have no idea.
I really dislike interfering and being in the middle, and I have no idea if it helps or hinders. Part of me is very anxious to know what the plan is, if the Boss is going to help pay for insurance, how and how much? and when? etc, and part of me thinks, whatever happens will happen and its not my place to try to negotiate benefits for my husband, nor do I have much experience doing so, and I dont know his Boss all that well. and its all by email. (on the other hand, should I not try to secure help that could amount to hundreds of dollars a month just because my husband is being mule headed??)
So, I basically dont know what to do, and if I do ask, dont know what to say.
to me, it seems unlikely that my husband would get fired for any reason, unless the whole company went under. he is the only person there who does what he does, and when he had a medical emergency this past january, he was out for 3.5 weeks and they were going insane without him.
at the same time, if my husband loses his job, we would be in massive trouble.
so I lean towards being safe and not asking for anything (probably my husbands reasoning) but still worrying that if we dont ask, we get nothing, but if we do ask, we might get more. and more would really help us now that I have established a very mustachian budget, and paid off our cc and medical debt, and are working towards saving.
My husband *did* say that the Boss would "help with cash", but then I wondered if the wording in the email he sent implied that he wasnt going to offer cash unless we asked. It seems like a very elaborate political puzzle-and Im stumped.
thanks for reading all this, and advice is appreciated.
N