childcare vouchers

[tostaky]

DP started a job in April and he has applied for childcare vouchers when he started. They have been really late in ansering them about it and maybe he didnt chase them enough but it appears that he cannot get them before october because that is when his benefits starts. and all the months between may and october wil;l be lost.

Is it right? in his previous company he got childcare vouchers straight away.

It depends on the scheme that the employer is with. Is it a scheme that he will basically pay for the vouchers himself with a salary sacrifice, or would the employer pay for them for him?
If it's salary sacrifice, then there is no reason really why they can't start him on them immediately, as it is of no cost to the employer.
If they are paying for them, then it's totally fair enough for them to wait until the end of the probationary period if that is what happens with all other benefits.

Thank you - It is through salary sacrifice. and everybody has to chose in October which benefits they want, for the following year. thats why they are making him wait. It is not related to his probationary period.

so what argument could he tells HR or his benefits department (it's a big companie)?

thanks

If it won't have any effect on his benefits package, and has no additional cost to the employer, I would just ask exactly why this is the case - maybe because they are so large, then only do 1 or 2 enrolments for vouchers each year. There doesn't seem any other reason I can think of, if they offer them anyway. It is September now though, and it isn't possible to backdate them, so even if they don't respond straightaway, at least it's only 1 more month without them (trying to be positive!!).

There's no entitlement to childcare vouchers, either provided free by the employer or by salary sacrifice. So if his employer wants to set a waiting period to join the scheme that's entirely up to them. Makes sense as well really, rather than going through the admin of joining someone to a scheme, if they may not pass their probationary period.

ok - so we'll wait!!!

thanks

Non necessarily. I worked for big bank who did the annual option thing But changes were allowed at points of 'life changing circumstances' which was essentially having a baby. If they would let a woman change at this point, they must let a man as it would be sex discrimination if they didn't -no? My friend on scheme had twins and they argued she couldn't change her car mid scheme - she just persisted on the life changing circumstances and how the F was she going to get twins in the back of a Smart car and they gave in. Check out for any 'life changing circumstances' as I suspect for women returning from mat leave they will do it.

Where I work your DH would have to wait until he's sucessfully completed his probationary period (3 - 6 months) before being allowed to join the childcare scheme.