Unequal benefits

[ACC]

The business which employs my mother has four employees including a manager and three bartenders. Shortly after my mother began working there, the business decided to provide medical insurance benefits. My mother is already covered under her spouse's policy. This is also the case for one of the other employees. When potential benefits were discussed, the insurance coverage was chosen because it fit the needs of the manager at the time. The question is, are my mother and her coworker entitled to monetary compensation equal to the contribution of the business to the insurance coverage for the third bartender (say in the form of a retirement fund?)

 

[Henry T]

Probably not. Some companies have a "cafeteria" plan that sets aside a certain dollar value per employee for buying mediacl insurance, life, extra time off etc. Most don't and if you don't want the insurance (which almost always involves a co-pay) because you are already covered you get nothing extra. However, as a practical matter she should be able to say "look, how about making up for the money you are not paying toward my health insurance with ____ (extra day off each month, etc.) instead -- but don't expect dollar for dollar makeup.