Thread regarding AT&T layoffs

Double-check your healthcare cost after layoff, HR reps are telling people wrong info, you may lose your healthcare or pay thousands per month

Please double-check what the HR reps tell you when you call as they have been providing incorrect information . Also, any legacy T, corporate L1, L2 who was hired January 1995 or later and meets the modified rule of 75 (for example, you are 55 years old and have 20+ years of working at AT&T) will loose their health care at the end of July unless they pay 100% of the costs of the healthcare plan (about $2000 or more a month depending on the plan).

While this is true: Employees with five (5) or more years of Net Credited Service (NCS) receive 6 months of subsidized coverage, meaning the employee will be responsible to pay the same rate they pay as an active employee for medical only.

Any legacy T, corporate L1, L2 who was hired January 1995 or later must pay 100% of their retirement healthcare coverage. If you meet the modified rule of 75 then you are forced to be in the category of someone who has retired from AT&T even though it screws you out of 6 months of subsidized healthcare. From the layoff materials: IMPORTANT: Not all former employees who are eligible for post-employment coverage are eligible for a company subsidy toward that coverage. You are not eligible for the continued coverage provisions under the AT&T Severance Pay Plan, if you are eligible for post-employment coverage, even if you are not eligible for a company subsidy (“Access Only”).

by helpful
| 1911 views | | 8 replies (last July 16, 2020) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+15WvBbjx
Comment! It's anonymous!

8 replies (most recent on top)

Double check your pension stubs and bank account every month (or however you pay premiums)
If you're married and spouse is on Retiree health and you are on Medicare HR gets very confused and can't keep things straight. They promise to enter a ticket. It takes 2 weeks to get a call back. Meanwhile you'll get a message (voice, text or email) either saying problem is resolved or still working on it. Don't believe it. Call and check. It they haven't resolved it it will take another 2 weeks. Beginning of year call your insurers and verify coverage.
Here are the problems I had:
Year off payroll - 2 month subsidized coverage for me since not enough time for Medicare to kick in. Spouse on retiree benefit. I took Cobra for vision and dental (18 month coverage) which made it even more complicated for HR to understand.
Next year: Spouse went to pharmacy and was told no coverage. Automated enrollment information did not get to CVS Caremark. Cycle time was 1 month between entering a ticket and finding out problem was not resolved. Multiple 3-way calls (HR, CVS, and me). Took 10 months to resolve - ultimately with supervisor intervention. Paid out of pocket which CVS said was out of network even after records were updated. Meanwhile premiums were deducted from my bank and my pension check.
Year after: late in the year spouse went to vision and was told no coverage. HR told me I should have checked with evemed at the beginning of year and very rudely too. Again deductions from both places. Again took 6 months to resolve with supervisor help.
I think the HR call center is American, the agents didn't sound foreign.
I kept track of all the premium payments and think I got all the money I'm owed back but I won't swear to it.
Best of luck.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @2igb+15WvBbjx

Absolutely double check what the HR reps tell you. The surplus documentation tell you to verify NCS with Fidelity, then open a case with HR to verify MTP eligibility.

I don't qualify for MR75, but I do qualify for MTP. HR opened a case and said it would take a few days to figure it out. I was out when they called and left a message saying I didn't qualify for retiree benefits. Well DUH, I knew that. I SPECIFICALLY asked about MTP and the HR dummy didn't answer my question. Guess I'll have to wait another few days for them to figure it out.

Meanwhile 7/24 draws closer.

I think they are laying off the wrong people.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @1uzd+15WvBbjx

I agree with op. I was surplused last Friday. I qualify under mr75. I called yesterday and my family coverage (no spouse as my wife has coverage at her company) wilL go from 230 per month to 1300 per month. Lying Jeff never said the up to 6 months were for people who don’t qualify for retirement per mr75. The guy is a pos.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @dtl+15WvBbjx

Check how much subsidy if any you get from company on Hr one stop and benefits for retirement. It all depends on what legacy company you got hired on and when.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @mar+15WvBbjx

I was surplussed back in January, and my off-role was extended until May 10th. I started taking my health benefits as a retiree in May, my cost did go up approx. $200 more per month for coverage of myself, my wife, and my son. I did not hear anything regarding AT&T passing the entire cost of the benefits on to the employee as you mentioned.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @hbu+15WvBbjx

Subsidized coverage may not be at the same rate as working employee. Us retired folks subsidize the workers paying increased rate for medical. Have to verify with benefits.

by Anonymous
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Post ID: @ezp+15WvBbjx

Health Benefits: to find an estimate the cost of your healthcare when you retire (this will also confirm if your healthcare is subsidized when you retire)

  1. Go to HR OneStop
  2. Select Health (left menu bar)
  3. Select Your Health Coverages & Personalized Resources
  4. Select Life Changes (top menu bar)
  5. Select Prepare for Retirement (middle screen under picture of road sign)
  6. Select Retiring in Few Years (Tab)
  7. Select Preview your health and insurance coverage
  8. If your off payroll date is in July, enter 08-01-2020 into the modeling calculator and select ok to learn how much your healthcare will cost you when you retire

Pension Benefits: if you are older, the cash balance of your pension has increased since December 2019 and using the estimate calculator with retirement date of 09-01-2020 will display the update cash balance available to you upon leaving the company. You can take a partial lump sum at any time.

  1. Go to HR OneStop or Directly Login to Fidelity, if logging in in via HR OneStop

• Select Savings & Retirement (2nd row, middle box)
• Select Login Option

  1. Select Pension
  2. Select estimate (tab) and use estimate calculator
by helpful
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Post ID: @hqe+15WvBbjx

The 6 months of subsidized coverage does NOT include dental.

by helpful
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Post ID: @ffk+15WvBbjx

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