3 Common Myths about Accessing Your Employment Benefits

Myth 1: Everyone understands their obligations under the state-administered benefits program.

The Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave law has been available to eligible employees since 2021. And yet, every week we hear about outright errors in the administration of employees’ benefits. Many of these situations are unintentional mistakes. Education is impactful. Collaboration is helpful. Remember that large organizations are complying with MANY legal requirements at once. Dig into the details about your situation.

Myth 2: You’re getting conflicting answers to your benefits question because you’re asking the question in the wrong way.

We work with so many Massachusetts employees who assume they are doing something wrong because they are getting different answers from their employer, third party benefits administrator and/or from representatives at the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave. It happens all the time. It’s not personal to how you framed the question or to your situation. Get the explanations in writing. Think critically about what you’ve been told and what your policy says. And consider involving an advocate if you’re not getting answers that make sense to you.

Myth 3: If the issue can’t be figured out quickly, or through ChatGPT, it’s not worth the time or investment.

Every one of our clients’ goals are different. Their priorities and risk thresholds are also different. And getting to the feeling of closure or resolution of an issue also varies by person. But one thing is generally consistent across our clients - the role the individual plays in figuring out their employment or benefits questions will impact how they FEEL about this time of their lives. The need to access employment benefits often arises during a time of injury, change, or crisis. Be kind to your future self and consider addressing this tough situation rather than avoiding it, especially if it’s adding stress, additional injury, or having a financial impact during an already difficult time. 

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Please note: The information reflected on this website or blog is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. Use of this website or blog does not create an attorney-client relationship between the user and Scully & O’Leary LLC.