Health insurance ended before my last day - is this normal?
I'm in NYC if that matters. I gave my two weeks notice on the 10th, so my last day is supposed to be the 24th. I just got a letter in the mail saying my health insurance coverage ended on the 15th.
I called HR to ask about it and they said that's just how their system works - insurance ends mid-month if you resign. But that doesn't make sense to me? I'm still employed until the 24th. I'm still showing up to work. Why would my benefits end a week and a half before my actual employment ends? I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for the 22nd that I made weeks ago, and now I'm being told I have no coverage for it.
Is this actually legal? Can they just cut off your insurance while you're still technically employed? I thought benefits were supposed to last through your final day and then you get COBRA options after that.
HR basically brushed me off and said "that's the policy" but it feels wrong. Do I have any recourse here or am I just screwed?
Jobadvisor
That sounds incredibly frustrating—and frankly, a bit bizarre. It’s one thing to lose coverage on your last day, but losing it while you’re still sitting at your desk and "paying your dues" feels like a bait-and-switch.
While I can’t provide legal advice, I can help you decode what’s likely happening and how NYC-specific norms play into this.
Is this normal (or legal)?
In short: It is highly unusual, but not strictly illegal under federal law.
Most employers align insurance termination with either your actual last day of work or the last day of the calendar month in which you leave. Cutting benefits mid-employment while you are still active is rare because:
The Contractual Issue: Your offer letter or employee handbook usually outlines benefits as part of your total compensation.
If you are working full-time hours, you are generally entitled to the benefits associated with that role until your status changes. ERISA Guidelines: Federal law (ERISA) requires plan administrators to follow the written terms of the "Summary Plan Description" (SPD).
If the SPD says coverage ends on your "date of termination," and you haven't been terminated yet, they may be in violation of their own plan documents.
The "NYC Factor"
New York is generally very pro-employee. However, there isn't a specific NY state law that mandates insurance must last until the final hour of employment, provided the employer is following their established, written policy. The catch is that "that's just how the system works" is an excuse, not a policy.
Your Recourse Options
Since HR brushed you off, you’ll need to be a bit more "paperwork-heavy" to get their attention.
Demand the SPD: Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description. This is the legal document governing your health plan. Look for the section "When Coverage Ends." If it says coverage ends on your "last day of employment," then HR is wrong, and their system is likely misconfigured.
The "Constructive Discharge" Argument: Gently remind HR that by cutting your compensation (benefits) while you are still working, they are changing the terms of your employment. You could argue that if you aren't being provided the benefits promised for your labor, you have no obligation to finish your notice period.
Request a "Run-out" Extension: Ask if they can manually override the system to keep you active until the 24th, or if they will reimburse you for the out-of-pocket cost of your appointment on the 22nd since you are still an active employee.
What to do about your appointment on the 22nd
If HR won't budge, you have a few safety nets:
| Option | How it Works |
| COBRA (Retroactive) | You have 60 days to elect COBRA. It is retroactive to the date you lost coverage. If your appointment is expensive, you can go, pay out of pocket (or ask to be billed), and then elect COBRA later to have it covered. |
| Reschedule | If the appointment isn't urgent, move it to after your new insurance kicks in. |
| Self-Pay Discount | Tell the doctor's office you are "between insurances" and ask for the "cash pay" or "uninsured" rate. It's often significantly cheaper than the "book price." |
A Note on COBRA
By law, your employer must provide you with a COBRA notice now that your coverage has ended. If they haven't sent you the official notice yet, they are potentially in hot water with the Department of Labor.
I was terminated upon returning from STD leave. I was given a return to work date and terminated when I returned on that date.
What should I do with regard to this issue? I was on a STD leave and told I had to return to work by a set date.
I advised the HR rep I would be returning to work on that date and reported it to our 3rd party leave company ahead of time but when I returned I was advised I had been terminated.
I was told I was terminated because I didn’t report my return to work date to this 3rd party company although I have proof that I did report my return to work date.
Prior to this I was having many issues with my immediate supervisor and mental health issues which had been reported. I was ostracized on my team by this supervisor and not given privileges other team members were. I reported this and sent proof to this HR rep and soon after I was terminated.
Do I have a grievance?
Jobadvisor
I am so sorry you’re going through this. Being terminated the moment you walk back through the door—especially when you’ve followed the rules and are already dealing with mental health challenges—is incredibly jarring and feels like a massive betrayal of trust.
Based on what you’ve described, there are several "red flags" that suggest your termination may not have been a simple administrative error, but rather a potentially unlawful action.
1. The "Administrative" Pretext
You mentioned you have proof that you notified the third-party leave company. If your employer claims they fired you for a failure to report that you can prove didn't happen, their "legitimate" reason for firing you starts to look like a pretext (a cover-up for the real reason).
2. Retaliation and Protected Activity
In many jurisdictions, reporting harassment or "ostracization" by a supervisor is considered a protected activity. If you submitted proof of unfair treatment to HR and were terminated shortly after, the timing is highly suspicious.
Temporal Proximity: The short gap between your report to HR and your firing is a key piece of evidence in retaliation claims.
3. Disability and Leave Protections
Depending on your location and company size, you may have been protected by laws like the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) or the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) in the U.S., or similar labor laws elsewhere.
FMLA: Generally entitles you to return to your same position or an equivalent one.
ADA: Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for mental health issues and prohibits discrimination based on those conditions.
Recommended Next Steps
Preserve Your Evidence: Secure copies of the confirmation you sent to the third-party leave company, your emails to HR regarding the supervisor's behavior, and your return-to-work authorization. Do not leave these on a company server/computer.
File for Unemployment: Even if the company claims "cause," you should apply immediately. If they contest it, you can present your proof that you followed the return-to-work protocols.
Request Your Personnel File: In many states/regions, you have a legal right to see your full employment record, including the specific reason listed for termination.
Consult an Employment Attorney: This is the most critical step. Most employment lawyers offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency basis (they only get paid if you win). They can determine if you have a case for wrongful termination or retaliation.
Do you have a grievance?
Yes. Whether it is a formal internal grievance (if the company has a process) or a legal claim, you have a clear dispute regarding the facts of your termination and the potential violation of your rights.
Help me choose a career assessment based on your experience
I've been going down a rabbit hole on Reddit Ask trying to figure out which career assessments are actually worth it (not just the Myers-Briggs stuff everyone takes), and two keep coming up over and over: Pigment and the Highlands Ability Battery (HAB). JOC is something that's out of my league for now.
From what I'm reading, these seem to be the only ones that actually go deeper than "here's your personality type, good luck."
Pigment seems interesting because it's more about work-style fit, decision-making patterns, strengths and why certain roles feel like they're fighting against you, which is honestly exactly what I'm trying to figure out right now.
HAB also looks solid and more focused on natural abilities, but the price tag ($450–500) is making me pause. Like that's a lot to drop if it doesn't actually help me figure things out.
I'm at that weird mid-career point where I know something feels off about my current role but I can't tell if it's me, the job, or just general burnout. I need to understand what actually fits me better before I make any big moves.
So if you've actually taken Pigment or HAB... not just researched them but gone through the whole thing like how in-depth were the results? And more importantly, did it actually help you make real decisions, or was it just interesting info that didn't change anything?
Would really appreciate hearing from people who've been through either one.
Jobadvisor
Deciding between Pigment and the Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) usually comes down to whether you want to understand your behaviors (how you prefer to work) or your biology (what your brain is naturally wired to do).
Since you're at a mid-career "burnout vs. fit" crossroads, here is a breakdown of how they actually feel and function based on the experiences of people who have gone through them.
1. Pigment: The "Work-Style & Energy" Assessment
Pigment is a modern (2025/2026) assessment specifically designed for knowledge workers. It focuses on the "How" and "Why" of your workday.
The Experience: It’s a ~20-minute scenario-based test. Instead of asking "Are you organized?" it gives you workplace situations and asks how you’d handle them.
The Depth: You get a 30+ page report that categorizes you into styles like Accelerator, Analyst, or Harmonizer. It specifically identifies "Energizing Work" vs. "Draining Work."
Real-World Utility: Users often find this most helpful for identifying why they are burnt out. For example, you might discover you have high "Analytical" traits but are stuck in a "Harmonizer" role (managing people/politics), which explains the mental fatigue.
Best For: Understanding current burnout, improving how you collaborate with your team, and finding the right "type" of role within your industry.
2. Highlands Ability Battery (HAB): The "Natural Aptitude" Lab
The HAB is often considered the "gold standard" because it doesn't rely on self-reporting; it’s a series of timed performance tests.
The Experience: It’s intense—about 3 hours of "work samples" (e.g., remembering patterns, rearranging blocks, digit spans). You are essentially being measured against the general population.
The Depth: It measures innate abilities that stabilize around age 14. It tells you things like your "Time Frame Orientation" (are you wired for long-term strategy or short-term hits?) and "Idea Productivity."
Real-World Utility: The results can be "jarring" because they might show you are naturally gifted at something you’ve never tried, or that you are working against your brain’s architecture. The debrief with a consultant (included in the $450+ price) is where the real value happens—they help you "assemble" your traits into a career path.
Best For: Massive pivots where you feel you’re in the wrong field entirely, or for understanding deep-seated frustrations that have followed you through multiple different jobs.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Pigment | Highlands (HAB) |
| Cost | ~$99 | $450 – $550 |
| Time Commitment | 20 Minutes | 3 Hours + 1 Hour Debrief |
| Focus | Work style, energy, and behavior | Natural brain-wired aptitudes |
| Format | Scenario-based survey | Timed performance tasks |
| Actionability | Immediate (change how you work tomorrow) | Long-term (structural career changes) |
The "Mid-Career" Verdict
Choose Pigment if: You generally like your field but feel the day-to-day is killing you. It will help you see if you’re just in the wrong "flavor" of role (e.g., a creative doing project management). It’s a lower-risk investment to get clarity on your work style.
Choose HAB if: You feel like a "total fraud" or like you're "working 10x harder than everyone else" to get the same results. At mid-career, the $500 investment is worth it if it prevents you from making another 5-year mistake in the wrong direction.
Regret doing a BSc in Psychology
Hello everyone
So I’ve graduated with a BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience. at the time of picking what degree I want to pursue, I had failed all my medicine interviews and didn’t want to give up on my dream of being a psychiatrist or neurologist. So i picked the next closest thing which to me at the time I thought was Psychology. Now after graduating the amount of mickey mouse degree comments have really got to me. I thought my degree was respectable but it doesn’t feel like that anymore. On top of this I’m forced to live with my family because I just can’t find a job anywhere despite applying to 10 a day. There’s nothing for me to do. I can’t even find a retail job. All I do is sit at home and sleep and I’m becoming very depressed. I thought I would’ve progressed in my life by now. But I can’t live like an adult at all. My choice of degree has trapped me to be in this state for years until I do my masters and doctorate. But I just can’t take relying on my parents for everything anymore. I don’t want to feel so incompetent. Even my masters won’t help me because I applied to a MSc in Neuroscience to be more competitive for any psychology doctorate at all. I feel so trapped and don’t know what to do. I wish I did an MPharm or a BSc in Biomed instead.
Jobadvisor
I hear you, and I want to start by being very direct: A BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience is not a "Mickey Mouse" degree. The reason people say that is usually because they are looking at "Psychology" as a soft social science, while completely ignoring the "Neuroscience" and "BSc" (Bachelor of Science) component. You have been trained in data analysis, biological basis of behavior, and complex systems. The "trap" you’re feeling right now isn't because of the degree's value—it’s because the path to practicing medicine or clinical psychology is a long, gate-kept marathon that doesn't offer a "waiting room" for people mid-journey.
You aren't incompetent; you are under-leveraged. ---
Why "Biomed" or "MPharm" feels better (and why you aren't stuck)
Those degrees have a linear, vocational "A to B" path. Psychology/Neuroscience is a pivot degree. It is highly respected in industries that pay well, but those industries don't recruit at the "Psychology" door.
If you want to stop relying on your parents and start living like an adult now, you need to stop looking at roles that require a Doctorate and start looking at roles that value your scientific literacy.
1. The "Immediate Income" Pivot (Non-Clinical)
If you need a job yesterday to get out of the house, stop applying for retail and entry-level psych roles. Your degree qualifies you for:
Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC): You understand Neuroscience. Hospitals and private labs need people to run trials, manage data, and talk to patients. This pays significantly better than retail and looks incredible on a med-school or PhD application later.
UX (User Experience) Research: Tech companies hire Psych/Neuro grads to understand how users interact with apps.
Pharmaceutical Sales/Medical Science Liaison (Associate): Since you considered MPharm, look here. They need people who can read a clinical paper and explain it to doctors.
2. Addressing the "MSc Neuroscience" Plan
You mentioned doing an MSc in Neuroscience to be competitive for a Doctorate. Warning: If your goal is to be financially independent now, a purely academic MSc might just extend the "trap" for another year while increasing your debt.
If you do the MSc: Ensure it has a heavy computational or data component (Python, R, Statistics). This makes you employable in Data Science or Biotech if the Doctorate path remains blocked.
3. The "Med School" Dream is Not Dead
Many people enter Medicine as a Graduate Entry student. In fact, having a background in Neuroscience makes you a much stronger candidate for Neurology/Psychiatry residency later than a standard Biomed grad. You haven't "failed"; you've just taken a scenic (and frustrating) route.
A Plan to Get You Out of the House
Stop the 10-a-day "Quick Apply" cycle. It’s clearly not working and it's fueling your depression.
Target "Clinical Research" and "Lab Technician" roles. Use keywords like GCP (Good Clinical Practice), IRB, and Protocol Management.
Fix the Resume: Highlight your Neuroscience lab skills and statistical analysis (SPSS, R, etc.) at the top. This kills the "Mickey Mouse" perception immediately.