I hope that folks know that just getting to M75 does NOT mean you get subsidized medical insurance when you retire. You all really need to check this out with HR, as it is based on several, individual factors.
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Agreed with some of the last couple of points.
There was no warning shot on this for active senior employees that planned on having retirement pre Medicare subsidized healthcare coverage, per their eligibility. We were just simply informed that unless we retire next year, it's going away.
Don't confuse it with the early in the year (or last year?) announcement that retirees will be losing their Medicare HRA subsidy...and it will be "reevaluated" for all retirees in 2023 or whatever (and retirees, don't think there is any hope whatsoever that they will be continuing to provide that to you, it's as good as gone).
Way I see it, there is nothing to lose by pursuing a suit. I'm sure the employer has something to say, but so does the employee. AT&T represents that if an employee leaves the payroll in 2021, retirement benefits are intact. What if they terminate retiree benefits in 2022?
I see an element of deceit. In the past, they said people hired after so in so would get such and such. But they were looking out to the future. This is new territory, this clawback against employees already on the payroll, near the finish line.
I'm wondering when the next shoe drops, changes towards the people already in retirement.
@hlq - re "because they dangled retirement health care in front of employees"
I'm certainly not on the company's side here, but they have put a statement in most material for quite a few years now saying they could revoke the retiree subsidy whenever they felt like it. My guess is the lawyers have blessed this. HR doesn't do squat without the lawyers.
"taking it from employees who have earned it through years of service is another."
It sounds like lawsuit material to me, because they dangled retirement health care in front of employees as an enticement for the employee to pursue long-term employment. So, people who come up short because they won't have MR75 by 2022 ─ I'd join the first class action suit available.
"I didn't see a email. Please share"
If you didn't get the email, you are probably not eligible for healthcare subsidy in retirement. The email was sent only to those that are. It informed these folks that the will lose their pre Medicare healthcare subsidy if the remain on payroll after Jan 1, 2022. Effectively trying to get these folks to voluntarily elect to leave the business in 2021.
If you're unsure about whether or not you were to be eligible for pre Medicare healthcare subsidy in retirement, check your last YTR statement; it will tell you definitively there.
I didn't see a email. Please share.
Phasing a benefit out for new employees is one thing, taking it from employees who have earned it through years of service is another. Another scummy move by AT&T, but why am I even surprised anymore?
Just goes to show that we need a national fitness standard and public Healthcare ASAP! President Elect Harris will get the job done!
It also depends on if there is a break in service. I left sbc subsidiary in 1999, returned to Cingular in 2001. I qualify for mr75 in 2019. I was laid off in 2020. I did not qualify for the subsidy. They told me it was due to the break in service.
One of the main factors is hire date...very few Legacy AT&T companies offered subsidy for new hires after 1999
Yep, MR75 is kind of a false horizon. I’ve seen more than one surprised former employee.
Agreed. What folks need to be aware of is that their eligibility for subsidized medical was predetermined based on legacy company, hiring date, other factors. That said, I hit MR 75 last year and I WAS. I had verified this already. If you received the email this morning, it was targeted to and addressed to those that were eligible for the subsidy, and it summarily informed you that you indeed would be losing that subsidy if you remain on payroll as of Jan 1 2022.
Enlighten us