I am a 65 years old woman. I work for Sonoma County Health services. I am trying to get someone to help me, and the rest of the county workers that are lose their medical benefits. In the MOU from 2002 to 2008 it was written that any purchased hours contributed to retirement went for both retirement and medical benefits. In 2009 they changed the MOU and are now telling all the county workers that had purchased hour prior to 2009 they no longer count towards medical benefits. This is my story.
I went on a medical leave in 2004, when I returned I was told I could purchase back part of my hours. That way I could retire at an earlier date with my medical benefits. I paid $7323.04 in 2007 again in, in 2008 a person from retirement and myself, talked to HR and they assured us my purchased hours went towards my medical as well as retirement. I was told I could retire on 8/24/10. In March of this year the county offered a voluntary separation incentive program and I put in for it. I then found out that payroll, HR, and retirement all had down different hours. I wrote to the Manager of the benefits department asking him to check and make sure I had all my hours in and that it would cover my medical benefits. Shortly after he sent me an email stating my hours had been confirmed and it covered my medical. I was approved for the VSIP money so I excitedly started preparing for my retirement. Almost four months later I got an email saying if I retire I would not get my medical benefits, If I stay I will lose the my VSIP money. They said the hours I purchased no longer count for medical benefits because they changed the MOU in 2009 so anyone that bought back hours prior would not be credited even though we were told at the time of purchase they did count. I went to the Civil Service Commission and the person that sent me the email, confirming my hours said he was wrong and they would make it right and I would be made whole. I would not lose anything. A week later I received another email from the head of the department saying they were supporting me and that the benefits manager was working on a solution that in the end could allow me to retire as planned with my medical benefits. Again it was put in writing. Almost a month later I received another email say they were not going to settle my issue and they were going to take it to arbitration. I was told it looks like they are using me as a pawn because they don't want to honor what was told to the County workers that purchased hours with the understanding it went for retirement as well as medical. I went back to the CSC and two of the people on the board said it is wrong but they can’t do anything about it, and I should get an attorney. I was told anytime someone puts something in writing and a person sets up there life around it, even if it was a mistake they have to honor it. I have gone to the County Supervisors and they did nothing about it. I need someone to help me and the rest of us little people that have no power over such an injustice. This has affected my life in so many ways. Because of this so called mistake, I am being billed by Medicare for something I don’t even need while I am working, but I was told by HR I had to sign up for it prior to retiring. I just got and email saying they are going to cancel my Medicare that could cause me to have penalties. I was also told months ago I could attend classes for my CEU’s but I told my supervisor I didn't need them because I was retiring in August. My certification will expire 2/11/11. I have no CEU’s and they are telling me I will have to work until 7/2011,so I will have to do 40 hours of continued education so I can keep my job until July if I want my medical benefits and I will lose my $16,000.00 VSIP check. I also had to cancel the money I was putting into deferred comp, because we were told we could not defer the VSIP money, so I was putting in my last few pay checks in so the taxes could be deferred. This is just a few ways it has affected me. I have Fibromyalgia and I live with chronic pain on a daily basses I will be 66, in January I may only have another 10, or 20 good years left. Another year may seem like nothing to the people making these decisions, that don’t have same rules and MOU as we do. But to us seniors that need are medical benefits it means everything. Can you please help me and the rest of the county employees that are going to be ripped off if something is not done? I have continued to work in a very demanding, and difficult job for this community and for this agency for the betterment of the County and its citizens since 1999. What kept you going was the goal of retirement. Now to have that ripped away is divesting. This is not all about me; they are trying to do this to everyone that has purchased hours prior to 2009 with the understanding that we would get are medical benefits is and now take it away is criminal. What makes my case different is that I have been lead to believe for over three years in writing, that I could retire with all my benefits. Setting up my whole life around it being approved for the VSIP money and now being told if I retire I will loss my medical benefits, but if I don’t I’ll lose my VSIP check. If there is attorney that will take my case that would be willing to get paid when it settles I sure need your help.
Something needs to be done to make this injustice right. Any help would be appreciated.
If there are any other employee’s out there that want to fight this please come forward. We have to stand together if we want get what we work so hard for. We are only asking for what we have coming. Thank You
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