ATTORNEY GENERAL QUESTIONS AETNA ABOUT ITS OBLIGATIONS TO COMPENSATE LAID OFF EMPLOYEES
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has asked Aetna, Inc. to provide his office with information about its plans to fully compensate hundreds employees laid off who have accrued vacation, leave time and other benefits. Press release.
Aetna recently announced plans to lay off 625 employees, including 160 in Connecticut, and has indicated plans for future layoffs in 2010.
Blumenthal’s office has received complaints that Aetna plans to pay laid off employees only half of their accrued paid leave time, possibly violating state law.
Blumenthal has asked Aetna to provide his office with detailed information about its plans to compensate laid off employees for earned leave time, including information concerning any company policy or agreement that provided for payment of accrued fringe benefits — or its justification for refusing to provide full compensation.
Blumenthal said, “I am deeply concerned that these Connecticut employees are being discharged in the midst of a difficult job market, particularly if they do not receive the full measure of severance and accrued fringe benefits to which they are entitled.
“Wholly aside from the company’s legal obligations and policies, there clearly is no legal impediment to the company compensating laid off employees for the full value of accrued fringe benefits if it so chooses as a matter of good corporate citizenship. These employees and their families will confront an exceedingly difficult employment market, and need and deserve all the severance compensation and assistance the company can provide.â€
State law generally requires that laid off employees are entitled to payment in the form of wages all accrued leave time and other fringe benefits upon termination of employment consistent with company policy or collective bargaining agreements.
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After ten years at Aetna in their old Cranbury and Princeton, NJ , I was laid off. Working 3 areas in customer service , broker liaison, and the medicare health unit department as a care management associate, that was eliminated due to lack of funds. I cannot find a decent job in this terrible economy as a middle aged person. I have been told they are only hiring within the organization and not externally . Therefore no jobs are available on the external posting website unless top management or the nursing fields.. This keeps me at bay from being able to post or looking like a stranger as if I never worked there in other positions or locations. There loyalty to laid off employees is HORRIBLE! This company has no fairness or sensitivity to people they lay off ! Aetna’s awards and recognition for being a great employer are really not deserved due to this issue. Ask any of us!