For context, I had just recently turned 26 and needed to sign up for health insurance through my job. Near the end of August I followed the directions and set everything up and received the confirmation email saying I would be all set starting October 1st. The week of the 3rd comes around and I happen to bump into my HR rep, they asked me “have you received your insurance card yet?” To which I replied that I have not. They then told me if I haven’t received it soon to let them know. Next week, still no card. I go onto the computer at work to check my benefits tab and notice that for some reason, it said health insurance declined. It was weird bc everything else I signed up for, dental, etc were in there but not that. So I immediately sent them an email. End of the week comes and I hear nothing. Now for more context, my HR department already had a reputation of being not the most responsive to issues so the lack of response was of no surprise. I told my supervisor and they went up to speak with them, apparently this issue wasn’t only happening to me and was being looked into. Okay good, they’re aware.
The following week I sent another email inquiring for an update, and also reminded them that the state we are in fines you if you don’t have insurance. Still no response, now I work in manufacturing and don’t have free time to run upstairs to their office to check in in person, also, the people upstairs work such weird hours there’s no telling if they’re even in or out, and furthermore a coworker also noted that anytime someone actually went to their office, the HR rep would tell them “you’re not supposed to be up here”. So I sent out a third email, thinking it was the most professional option as well as a way to cover myself by having everything in writing.
Now today, a few days till the next month and I have gone the entire month of October with no insurance and no word from HR. I tell a coworker and they show me a slip of people upstairs and their job positions, he points to the HR box and tells me to email them. So I sent out a fourth email, tagging this new HR person and their colleagues, informing them of my situation. My supervisor then later comes down after speaking with them yet again with a sheet to manually fill out for insurance and brings it back up to them.
After my lunch break I checked my email and saw the original HR rep saying the issue should be resolved soon and the card should be on its way, however they added a secondary email without the other reps, stating:
“The next time you have an issue that isn’t resolved immediately for you, I expect you to walk up the stairs to discuss with me directly before sending an email to all HR personnel in the cooperation. Do I make myself clear?”
Am I in the wrong here? As the HR rep, isn’t it their duty to make sure all the employees within the company are taken care of? Yet they never took the time to respond to my emails, all they had to do was reply with an update, or even just ask me to come see them. If they couldn’t or wouldn’t help me, isn’t it within my right to reach out to the other HR reps within the company?