withdrawl of life assurance and long term sickness cover

[Snowfalls108]

Hi there,

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this. In my last pay slip I received a note that said the following:

"In the past the company has paid insurance premiums for life assurance and for long term sickness cover to qualifying employees under the terms of their contract of employment. The cost of insuring long term sickness cover has risen sharply and the company have decided that providing this cover is no longer a sustainable option. This letter is to advise you therefore that long term sickness over as a contractual entitlement will be withdrawn with immediate effect; those few employees currently on long term sick leave and receiving benefit will continue to receive benefit. The company will continue to provide life assurance cover to UK employees at 2 times salary though this will no longer be a term of employment."

Are they allowed to do this? Should there have been some consultation or something?

Thanks

No they are not allowed to do this. As they state in their letter, these arrangements are part of your contractual terms and conditions, and as such cannot be varied without your consent.

Thanks Flowery.
What do you think the best course of action is on my part?

Do you have any kind of staff association or any representative body at all? Resisting something like this as a group is always the best bet, so that's your starting point.

If there is no structured employee group, talk to colleagues and find out their views, then consider approaching management as a group saying your consent is required for amendments to your terms and conditions and you are withholding your consent. Put it in writing as well.