Can my employer drop my dependents without written notice because I miss an email ?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Can my employer drop my dependents without written notice because I miss an email ?

I have been with my employer for 20 years. I pay part of employee/dependent health coverage. Have always received US mail enrollment update material; and in recent years by e-mail as well. Supervisor said that if I miss replying to the upcoming employee e-mail enrollment update, my dependents will automatically be dropped. Can this be done without US mail notification? Anyone could easily miss an e-mail in the dozens of blanket e-mails received daily. I work at home for a large corporation. Have received nothing by mail.

Asked on April 2, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Arizona

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 13 years ago | Contributor

Yes, it can be done, IF it is complying with the terms and conditions of the health insurance policy (you need to check both your own policy documents and also reference the agreement between the company and the insurer). Remember, a company is not legally obligatated to provide health insurance. Remember also that an insurance policy is a contract, controlled by its terms. If the terms require that dependents be confirmed/certified/etc. each year during the enrollment period, and always notice by email, then failure to respond to the email would be grounds for dropping the dependents the same as failure to respond to a U.S. postal service letter would be.

You can call the insurer directly to confirm notice requirements and ask any other questions about how and when.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption