Archived Health Insurance - average hours

[rjt44]

Am I able to get health insurance at any point outside of a “qualifying event” if I go back to full-time this year? Working weekends has my average hours very low so I fear I won’t be able to get insurance until open enrollment 2019.

Is the only other way to get health insurance to promote? Or does that not auto-qualify you either?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[GoodyNN]

Nope, only through open enrollment or a qualifying event. Qualifying events include things like new hire, loss of other coverage, marriage (to add a spouse to an existing plan), and birth/adoption of a child (to add dependents). There are more that I can't remember off hand. Ask HR or certain, but I don't think newly meeting eligibility qualifies.

 

[pellinore]

With shorter shifts happening now, most people won't get benefits next year. The average number of hours needed is 30 per week. I'm down now to too few hours to qualify for health insurance next year.
I think that Spot is now doing these shorter shifts in order to keep people from qualifying.
I know that I need to look elsewhere for a job because Target won't be there to help me at all next.

I'm now trying to get myself motivated to look for another job.....but I'm finding that I'm having a hard time getting myself all prepared to start applying for other jobs. I do have an updated resume, but the step to start applying is just one step too big for me right now. I'm hoping that I can get to that next step soon.

 

[Logo]

Maybe I'm drinking too much koolaid but I think, at least, in my store we are using shorter shifts is because its easier to cover a 4 hour shift then and 8 hour shift. Plus more hands means more work can get down, more importantly more guest interaction.

 

[Yetive]

We are mindful of who needs to stay above 30, and schedule to make sure that happens. I think it will be difficult for newer tms to get to that average.

 

[LearningTree]

I think that Spot is now doing these shorter shifts in order to keep people from qualifying.

I've read this sentiment many times on this site and I honestly want to know if you think this or you just like to dump on spot. Do you really think your ETLs care about the insurance costs for the company? I can tell you right that even the STL doesn't give a damn. No where in our metrics, payroll tracking, expenses, etc. do we look into what insurance premiums are costing us. Me personally, I'm looking for as many full time TMs as possible. Insurance is no where on my radar. If your hours are cut it's either because your availability isn't cutting it or your store doesn't have the payroll.

 

[pellinore]

Yes, I believe that Spot is cutting hours to keep people from qualifying for health benefits.
My availability hasn't changed in the years that I have worked w/ Spot. I'm available 6.5 of 7 days....and the .5 I need off is only one weekday night. So, can't blame the availability.
I've talked w/ my HR three times since February to ask about hours in my area and either on the floor or doing truck......hasn't happened. How many times do I have to talk to HR to get the hours?

Since November the HR-ETL and STL have been the ones to make the schedule....our HR clerical is not permitted to do the schedule any more.

 

[Llamanatee]

Yes, I believe that Spot is cutting hours to keep people from qualifying for health benefits.
My availability hasn't changed in the years that I have worked w/ Spot. I'm available 6.5 of 7 days....and the .5 I need off is only one weekday night. So, can't blame the availability.
I've talked w/ my HR three times since February to ask about hours in my area and either on the floor or doing truck......hasn't happened. How many times do I have to talk to HR to get the hours?

Since November the HR-ETL and STL have been the ones to make the schedule....our HR clerical is not permitted to do the schedule any more.

I agree. Our store has payroll and many team members have open availability yet they get scheduled 25 hours. My average is steadily dropping. I'm still qualified as of right now but for how long? I have after 6pm on Sunday blocked out and can work in multiple areas of the store and can do things most don't know how to do. I get 4 hour shifts and 28 hours-30 hours most of the time. For years my average hours was 37 until all these changes company wide and just at my store (leadership) started to happen. Main reason I haven't left is because I made it to $15 on my own, have a partner that can pay all our bills on his own, and don't want to start over somewhere else for a significant amount less. I think it's funny that I get 60-80 cent raise each year but I swear because of cutting hours my checks have been consistently around the same amount for at least the last 3 to 4 years.

Anyways ASANTS.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Spot's ultimate goals are everyone needs to be part time, limited benefits, more workload, higher sales, & high guest service expeditions. All with no process/speciality teams to do the any job tasks.
Then, spot would say to the world, we are paying our folks, 15.00 an hour.. Yeah right..

 

[Llamanatee]

Spot's ultimate goals are everyone needs to be part time, limited benefits, more workload, higher sales, & high guest service expeditions. All with no process/speciality teams to do the any job tasks.
Then, spot would say to the world, we are paying our folks, 15.00 an hour.. Yeah right..

See, they like to wave around the 12.00/hr around here and I like to remind them I got to 15.00/hr on my own so all these wage increases don't directly effect me. Can't try that bullshit with me. I've worked very hard to get where I am and it is sad that I've had to scale back and do my minimum, which is other people's best or better, because I don't feel appreciated and that no one cares. And yet I'm still a hard worker with my scaling back. I can't carry my department on my back anymore. I've done it for far too long. I've got some life changes coming up a will eventually move to part time.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

See, they like to wave around the 12.00/hr around here and I like to remind them I got to 15.00/hr on my own so all these wage increases don't directly effect me. Can't try that bullshit with me. I've worked very hard to get where I am and it is sad that I've had to scale back and do my minimum, which is other people's best or better, because I don't feel appreciated and that no one cares. And yet I'm still a hard worker with my scaling back. I can't carry my department on my back anymore. I've done it for far too long. I've got some life changes coming up a will eventually move to part time.

I am with you on that. A lot of old timers are not happy too.
Then, the big bosses get raises & 40 hours.

 

[Billybobjoe]

I agree. Our store has payroll and many team members have open availability yet they get scheduled 25 hours. My average is steadily dropping. I'm still qualified as of right now but for how long? I have after 6pm on Sunday blocked out and can work in multiple areas of the store and can do things most don't know how to do. I get 4 hour shifts and 28 hours-30 hours most of the time. For years my average hours was 37 until all these changes company wide and just at my store (leadership) started to happen. Main reason I haven't left is because I made it to $15 on my own, have a partner that can pay all our bills on his own, and don't want to start over somewhere else for a significant amount less. I think it's funny that I get 60-80 cent raise each year but I swear because of cutting hours my checks have been consistently around the same amount for at least the last 3 to 4 years.

Anyways ASANTS.

It was like this at my store too. When I first started 4 years ago I’d get 38 hours a week until
January or February then they’d go down a little to 34-36ish. What I noticed though is that every year I worked the hours would get less and less. So by the time I quit 4 years later I’d be getting 34 hours a week or so but in January or February they’d go down to 28-32ish

What’s funny is that despite everyone’s hours going down the drain Target was still hiring new people.

I agree with hardlines master that Target seems to be trying to get everyone more towards part time to compensate for the higher wages. I’m not sure if he was being a little tongue in cheek about it, but it seemed on point to me based on what I saw during my time at Target.

 

[boxbreaker]

I am a new-ish team member (hired within the past two months) and I orginally got hired for part time. Now I am hitting 40 hours every week because no one else wants to stay to work more than a 4-5 hour shift.

 

[LearningTree]

I'm sticking to my guns that it has nothing to do with insurance costs and wanting to keep everyone part time. It seems to me that hours just vary store-to-store and by leaders. Aside from January and February, most people on my team could have 32-40 hours if they wanted.

 

[Llamanatee]

I'm sticking to my guns that it has nothing to do with insurance costs and wanting to keep everyone part time. It seems to me that hours just vary store-to-store and by leaders. Aside from January and February, most people on my team could have 32-40 hours if they wanted.

Pretty sure most people at my store want those hours, myself included. But like I said ASANTS so I'm sticking to my guns about my store not wanting people to work full time hours.