Benefits: A Microsoft Guy Tries to Use All His Benefits in One Day

I am certain all the USW facilities have equal benefits as the ones shown here at Microsoft. Yes, ask the UAW and other labor unions.

With all those cadillac plans and the like, how could one object to being taxed? After all, wage concessions were made to "purchase" benefits. No free lunch for employees, they made sacrifice to obtain those benefits.

Alas, the deal to tax "cadillac healthcare plans" is likely to impact even more benefits. I would ask union folks why leadership allowed foot in the door to tax benefits. The machinists (with a few others) activelly opposed the "cadillac tax" on healthcare benefits.

One would believe that those labor leaders that went along with the idea to tax benefits might have some real explaining to do to the membership. After all, many supported Obama because of the opposition to taxing healthcare benefits. In Missouri, many did not vote for McCain or did not vote at all because of the GOP endorsement of taxing benefits.

from Slate:
"How do I know if my insurance plan is a "Cadillac plan"? Look at the cost. The finance committee defines high-cost or "Cadillac" as any plan with premiums higher than $8,000 for individuals or $21,000 for families. Keep in mind that these figures include everything you and your employer spend on health care except for the deductible: premiums for medical (the portions paid by you and by your employer), dental, and vision coverage, as well as any money you put into a flexible spending account, which allows you to set aside pretax money to cover medical costs. Since your pay stub may show only your personal contribution—not that of your employer—the best way to find out the total cost of your plan is to ask your human resources liaison. Many companies already list their employees' total premiums on their W-2 tax forms. The bill passed by the finance committee would make that mandatory" http://www.slate.com/id/2232434/

----note: the excessive administration costs by the company could also be included by my reading and understanding. Good I be taxed on the company bonus to the employee relation folks-----------


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