Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

Hi All-

This is my long story and I am hoping somebody here can point me in the right direction. I am so exhausted from fighting for my rights as a teacher AND a citizen...

I started my FMLA leave on 12/17/08. I submitted all of my paperwork to my payroll secretary. I gave birth to my DD on 12/25/08. After the holiday break, I submitted the additional paperwork to her such as the birth certificate etc. I returned to work on 3/10/09.

About a month after I returned to work, I started to receive tons of denied claims from GHI in the mail. I called GHI and was told that my coverage was canceled on 2/5/09--six weeks after I gave birth to DD. I was also informed that DD's coverage was terminated on 12/28/09--the day I left the hospital with her.

I called HR Connect and they instructed me to call/e-mail this woman named Elizabeth Abrams. She was very helpful and told me that she would resubmit the paperwork to a special division because the benefits had to be reinstated retroactively blah, blah, blah. By this point, it is around May and the school year is drawing to a close. I call/e-mail Ms. Abrams several times a week and she keeps saying that it takes time, I will get my benefits etc.

I also called Sheldon Hychman at FMLA and he told me the the DOE MUST reinstate my benefits retroactively.

So the summer come, I e-mail Ms. A once, and get no response. As soon as the school year starts, I go to talk to my payroll secretary and she gets on the case. She calls Ms. Abrams who directs her to somebody else.

Basically, this person said that the paperwork was never submitted to the correct location and the city is NOT going to cover me or my family for this time.

My daughter has pediatric bills in excess of 1200 bucks and my husband and I had to lay out cash to a dr. we see regularly because he wasn't getting paid. In total, we have probably spent over 2,000 out of pocket in medical expenses.

My union rep. is pretty useless, so I feel like going to her is a big waste of time.

I hate spending my Saturday thinking about this!

Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone gone through anything similar? I am definitely writing letters to the mayor, the chancellor, the union president and even President Obama (I know it sounds crazy, but it will be the same letter printed out 4 times Chat Icon ) but is there any other way I can solve this mess?

My husband wants to sue.

Sigh.

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

There is no reason for your benefits to have been discontinued. You were on leave for the allowed amount of time.

Since you have followed up with everyone involved and no one can help you, I would probably sue as well.

Hopefully someone else here has some better advice

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

So sorry you're going through this! As an expectant mother (and NYC teacher) who plans of taking 12 weeks through FMLA, your story is terrifying! Forget your chapter leader and try calling Barbara Silverman at the UFT (212) 539-0500. She's a special rep at the UFT. I haven't had to contact her yet, but I hear she's really knowledgeable. I wanted to add that I could only imagine how frustrating it is, but keep fighting.

Please update. I'd love to know how and when this is resolved. You can FM me if you'd like.

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

The same thing happened to me...I came back to work after 12 weeks but six weeks after that, I was terminated in the system. Someone put my return date in with the wrong year so my benefits were canceled. It took about two weeks for them to fix. I called HR Connect about three times before they figured out why I was terminated. No one figured it out until the operator spoke with someone in the Benefits Dept. BUT - everything was covered retroactively. Both my ped and I filed grievances with GHI and my son's claims were paid.

If your union rep is no help, maybe you need to call higher up in the UFT?

I know it is very unsettling to have this hanging over your head and I'm sorry you have to go through this.

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

I am so sorry you have to deal with this, when I was out on leave my insurance company for my job submitted my claim wrong and denied me also. I was calling so many times and non of the claim specialist were calling me back, they kept transfering me to diffent people who knew NOTHING. I kept calling my HR and was getting really annoyed.

I would start to keep records of the times and date and who you spoke with. If I was you I would SUE also.

GL and I hope everything works out.

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Have you thought about filing a complaint with the Secretary of Labor?

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

Thank you all for your advice! I knew I would get some great answers here.

MrsAT-Thank you for that #. I am going to call on Monday.

MrsS2005- I never even thought about filing a complaint with the dept. of labor! Genius!

To everyone else that this happened to--thank you for your empathy!

Re: Termination of Benefits while on FMLA leave--XPOST--Can somebody help me?

PS- I am notebooking this thread! You're all awesome!