Can somebody help me? FMLA/Benefits/DOE related--kind of long

Hi All-

This is my long story and I am hoping somebody here can point me in the right direction. I am so exhausted from fighting for my rights as a teacher AND a citizen...

I started my FMLA leave on 12/17/08. I submitted all of my paperwork to my payroll secretary. I gave birth to my DD on 12/25/08. After the holiday break, I submitted the additional paperwork to her such as the birth certificate etc. I returned to work on 3/10/09.

About a month after I returned to work, I started to receive tons of denied claims from GHI in the mail. I called GHI and was told that my coverage was canceled on 2/5/09--six weeks after I gave birth to DD. I was also informed that DD's coverage was terminated on 12/28/09--the day I left the hospital with her.

I called HR Connect and they instructed me to call/e-mail this woman named Elizabeth Abrams. She was very helpful and told me that she would resubmit the paperwork to a special division because the benefits had to be reinstated retroactively blah, blah, blah. By this point, it is around May and the school year is drawing to a close. I call/e-mail Ms. Abrams several times a week and she keeps saying that it takes time, I will get my benefits etc.

I also called Sheldon Hychman at FMLA and he told me the the DOE MUST reinstate my benefits retroactively.

So the summer come, I e-mail Ms. A once, and get no response. As soon as the school year starts, I go to talk to my payroll secretary and she gets on the case. She calls Ms. Abrams who directs her to somebody else.

Basically, this person said that the paperwork was never submitted to the correct location and the city is NOT going to cover me or my family for this time.

My daughter has pediatric bills in excess of 1200 bucks and my husband and I had to lay out cash to a dr. we see regularly because he wasn't getting paid. In total, we have probably spent over 2,000 out of pocket in medical expenses.

My union rep. is pretty useless, so I feel like going to her is a big waste of time.

I hate spending my Saturday thinking about this!

Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone gone through anything similar? I am definitely writing letters to the mayor, the chancellor, the union president and even President Obama (I know it sounds crazy, but it will be the same letter printed out 4 times ) but is there any other way I can solve this mess?

My husband wants to sue.

Sigh.

Re: Can somebody help me? FMLA/Benefits/DOE related--kind of long

You need to go over your building reps head and pay a visit to your UFT district office. This is what you pay the dues for. A phone call will not suffice. I had a similar situation and when I got the district union rep involoved things were finally corrected

Re: Can somebody help me? FMLA/Benefits/DOE related--kind of long

You are so right. I know I am going to be making trips all over Brooklyn! Thanks for the advice!

Re: Can somebody help me? FMLA/Benefits/DOE related--kind of long

I hope it works out for you...keep us posted!

Re: Can somebody help me? FMLA/Benefits/DOE related--kind of long

Wow that is unreal!!! Please go straight to the Union office and please keep us posted! That is NOT RIGHT!!!