Abuse of work benefit

[RachelEllen]

Curious people's opinions on this.

My husband and I both work. He gets a very, very nice benefit at his job. It's back-up childcare. Basically, with between 30 days to 1 hours notice, he call in and either get a babysitter or spot at a daycare center for our baby. It's supposed to be used in cases of emergency. He's allowed to use the benefit 20 times per year.

Today, our nanny called in sick, so we called the hotline, and they told us his company had used up their "allotment" of days for the month, so there was no free childcare to be had. We had to scramble, and my husband decided to call the national benefits coordinator. He wanted to tell them that they should tell us that this is a limited benefit, so that people would know that it might not be available. Even better, an email when the allotment ran out would be nice.

Anyhow, he was told that the allotment only tends to be used up in the summer months (makes sense). We think 20 days of emergency childcare is extremely generous. However, the benefits coordinator told us that many people use the entire allotment. One couple even uses 40 days during the summer.

Do you think using a work benefit like this is abuse? The coordinator told us they are considering various rules...maximum days of use per month, a copay, having to provide a reason for use. Or are the people using all their days just being smart to use all the benefit the work provides?

 

[EthansMom]

I think your DH should talk to his HR about this. It seems unfair that some people are getting ALL of the benefit... and others, who've really never used the benefit, can't get it when they need it.

BTW, summer break is only about 50 days (5 days a week for 10 weeks), so I'd be willing to bet that that couple is using the benefit to cover their childcare for most all of the kids' vacation days.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Smart, maybe - but selfish and inconsiderate? Absolutely. A limit per employee per month, with documentation of actual need for longer use, would be entirely reasonable. Many places require a doctor's note before allowing an employee who's been out more than X consecutive days to return to work.

 

[jlima]

One couple even uses 40 days during the summer.

Wow! That's definitely taking advantage of the system. Your company needs to limit it, maybe to twice a month, and definitely not on consecutive days. If its supposed to be for an emergency, one person taking 40 days during the summer is 8 weeks of free child care, and that's not fair to the other people at your company.

The company I was laid off from had an employee emergency relief fund, but had a dollar maximum of $1,500 per year and each business unit of the company couldn't use more than a certain percentage of the fund. But there were some people who consistently had their rent paid once a year when they came up with a different annual sob story. They worked the system to their advantage. Sounds like this is what your DH's coworker is doing.