Can a employer cut your hours without consent?

My mother in law has been working for Dunkin Donuts since 1990 and now they have cut her hours from full time to part time (3 days a week). They haven't given her a reason and now I think this will affect her benifits as well. Do they have the right to do this?
Additional Details
Ok. They can cut back her hours but what about her benifits? Is she going to loose them?

michr

yes they can cut her hours.............
benefits are a matter of policy but if she has health insurance it is regulated under COBRA and she will be able to keep it. the amount she has to pay (for insurance) may or may not change.
for information about insurance coverage under COBRA:
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/FAQs/faq_compliance_cobra.html

she also may qualify for partial unemployment insurance. she should apply for benefits, this can be done on-line at the states department of labor website.

Judy

They can cut her hours back, or lay her off altogether. And benefits aren't required by law, so they can terminate benefits if they decide to.

Cubs Girl

Yes they can.

It will affect her benefits because in order to receive medical benefits you must be working 40 hours/week. Unless they give PT employees benefits as well then you will have to follow that policy.

acablue

Of course they do. There is no guarantee on income or hours in any state in the union. If they have the need to cut their costs, they have a perfect right to do it.

If they did not, your mother in law might end up with zero hours per week which is what you have if the company cannot control their costs and goes bankrupt.

jobbend

There are no laws mandating that a company provide benefits. Only that if they do, they provide them in a uniform way with equal opportunity to receive benefits.

That means that if benefits are offered for full-time employees, but not part-time, then she may become ineligible. She may be eligible to claim COBRA for health insurance, and continue other benefits if she whats to pay for them on her own.

Bottom line, it depends on the company policies about benefits at Dunkin Donuts. She should talk to the person in charge of benefits administration.

solvent

Her Employer can made her a new offer of a part-time job

She can also reject the new offer of part-time employment if she choice to

kapn

Yes......she will loose her benefits.......she needs to be full time......

herroruthere

An employer can cut back hours, but it can only be so many before (like 10%) before you can get some recourse.

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