bennington, vt.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

the wind blows

Strong gusting winds, from an unusual direction, mean the planes are coming in for their landings overhead.  (The dogs don't like it.)

everyone wave
And with the change in direction, "Mary Poppins" mood has plummeted.  It seems an "ill wind" has arisen.
Contrary to what I was told, (HR was mistaken), my benefits will not kick in this week. 
It was the straw that broke the camels back,
namely mine. 
Next Tuesday is a month, and they had to be reinstated before the month was up.  Next Thursday, when the HOME Office recieves this week's hours, will be too late.
I sobbed.
Last year I did everything I could, with the help of my former job, to maintain my benefits without a break.  (Pre-existing conditions and other  such concerns.)  We did vacation, sick-time, donated vacation time, family leave, and COBRA, the last two of which I paid into myself . . . all to bridge the gap until I could get my Nursing license from the State of Michigan and then a Job with benefits.  6 months, we managed this.

Three people at the HOME Office benefits department I spoke with, all with the same out come.
I must have sounded really pathetic,
because they ALL kept saying,
"I am so so sorry, please don't cry."
The COBRA Department e-mailed me the form again, since they destroyed the last one I filled out after they mailed back the $680 check.
deja vu
I called my local HR again just to ask when I REALLY can reinstate my benefits.  She was horrified, and said she would talk to the Benefits Dept. herself.  She called back two hours later . . . triumphant.
 
"Call them next Thursday, ask for XXXXXXX Head of XXXXXXX, he knows everything and will reinstate your benefits, and they WILL be retro active."
Gee, I've been on this high wire before.

This is it,
a break will appear
if this goes wrong again.

So, I've tossed caution to the wind, and stepped onto the unicycle, and am pedaling blindfolded across a swaying wire.

Personally, "Mary Poppins" would rather pop her umbrella and fly home . . . the wind is even blowing in the right direction.

2 comments:

Judy said...

I read this and even MY head started to throb. May it all be settled rightly, and SOON!

Sue said...

Oh T, this is just too much! This will get figured out eventually (she says optimistically). So sorry you're having to go through all this.