Thread regarding Cigna layoffs

Accomodations for special needs parents

I know Cigna doesn't care, but I am a special needs kids parent. Do you think they will provide accomodations in the new FOW policy to take care of special needs kids? I need to be at home by 3:30pm, and it's so hard to get baby sitter for special needs kids in my area.

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| 1531 views | | 17 replies (last April 23, 2024) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1s6OUCfB

17 replies (most recent on top)

Sounds like enough to give someone anxiety- and if diagnosed, would def qualify for ADA coverage… form available on Iris.

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Post ID: @5fnb+1s6OUCfB

Jesus, the ignorant and unkind responses.

Call New York life. They handle FMLA. HR handles ADA. You need intermittent FMLA. Your manager does not need to know why you’re taking intermittent FMLA.

New York Life handles it. They tell your manager what you need.
You say nothing. Zero to your manager.

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Post ID: @5byp+1s6OUCfB

Being home for your kids will be between you and your manager - your work hours are your manager's decision. As long as you work in the office 3 days/wk, including the Tuesday and Wednesday anchor days, you will be in compliance.

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Post ID: @2wkr+1s6OUCfB

Hello, reach out to the LOA team. Family leave info should be on IRIS. Look at the fmla intermittent leave information. That is job protection to do exactly what you’re seeking.

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Post ID: @1wgw+1s6OUCfB

Family 1st, start looking for another remote job now and reach out to your Manager and above to see if they can request/grant an exception. If granted I am sure they will make you stay silent and not let your peers know about it. if not granted, hopefully you find another remote job.

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Post ID: @1dwl+1s6OUCfB

If you’ve been employed over 12 months and are a FTE, you can apply for FMLA intermittent leave. You can do it for the caregiver one. You will get 480 hours in a calendar year to leave early. I know that doesn’t help with pay, but you can use pto for the hours you leave early OR potentially if you have an ok boss they will let you make the hours up in the evening.

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Post ID: @1fjj+1s6OUCfB

Yes. Connect with employee relations and ask about the documentation needed to be supplied to accommodate your needs too. You’re not alone.

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Post ID: @1lpx+1s6OUCfB

Even though Cigna is a for-profit business, because it is dealing with people's health and lives, they should and will be expected to have greater responsibilities for these types of things than say a restaurant chain or a television station. However, I don't know how long it will take for government regulations to catch up to this (likely a very long time).

That's a good idea, to the poster who recommended consulting the Caregivers ERG.

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Post ID: @1tbq+1s6OUCfB

I work in data strategy for CIgna, and long-term across the board it will happen where you will get sc--wed over unless you work on the AI or do something to assist with it. That being said for Cigna and most places not named Google, we are still decades away at minimum before that happens.

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Post ID: @ghm+1s6OUCfB

AI @ Cigna is nowhere near what it need to be or could be to eliminate jobs. This isn’t Google, they don’t have the talent, horsepower or willingness to put the money required to get there. For now, all they can really do is answer basic customer service questions, among other simple things. This drive is more about shareholders and commercial real estate and less about AI. I would know, I work in the AI space.

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Post ID: @cdw+1s6OUCfB

I know many people are angry but that shouldn't cause anyone to forget that Cigna is a for-profit business.

The short answer to them making accommodations for you is no. Cigna or any other company is not obligated to accommodate the caregivers of special needs children, an aging parent, or a single parent. The only obligation is fiduciary to the shareholders.

Would it make Cigna a more respected and desirable employer to be known for having their employees' wellbeing and fiduciary responsibility in balance, yes. That's not the world we live in anymore. Companies like that went by the wayside in the 50s and it isn't coming back.

Employment across all sectors going to get worse with the addition of AI. The Cigna workforce worldwide will eventually be <15K. Go to the AI COE page on Iris and look at what has already been implemented, what's in the works, and what's on the drawing board.

Circling back to the question about balancing being a caregiver and a Cigna employee, I suggest you join the Caregiver ERG. They have access to resources as well as providing a place to vent or share experiences. You could also take a look at the caregiver leave option, but I'm not optimistic that it would be very beneficial other than taking time for doctor appointments. I believe it has to be taken in 4-hour increments.

Good luck, and I hope you and others in your situation find a workable solution.

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Post ID: @vnd+1s6OUCfB

Caregivers of individuals with disabilities are not entitled to receive workplace reasonable accommodations under the ADA, ADA is a law that allows a worker to get accommodations for their own disabilities, not for that of their family. Ask your manager or if they aren’t helpful your HR business partner what can be done to help!! Good luck

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Post ID: @uzw+1s6OUCfB

I am also a special needs parent and used to work at Cigna. The ADA doesn't really protect parents, sadly. Cigna does have something called caregiver leave. There's a form on IRIS that you can fill out so you can take leave intermittently. You need a doctor to sign. Most peds of special needs kids will sign it. The only pitfall is that it used to be 4 hours minimum leave at a time. Not sure if that has changed. Hope this helps. Good luck to you!

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Post ID: @owh+1s6OUCfB

Follow the other suggestions but a coworker is a single parent and they give her no 'out' on this policy. Good luck.

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Post ID: @bde+1s6OUCfB

I suspect that you will be told to arrive early enough to get your full 8 hours in before you need to leave.

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Post ID: @fkj+1s6OUCfB

In IRIS they talk about ADA for accomodations for employees, doesn't mention anything about kids

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Post ID: @qbn+1s6OUCfB

You can try putting in an ADA request. I believe if you are a caretaker of someone with a disability you can fill out the form with that info if you have a provider who will sign.

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Post ID: @xbl+1s6OUCfB

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