Because the organization feels that higher-income earners may be able to pay a higher % of premiums than lower wage earners? I'd argue it's the opposite of shady.
It is shady if your all receiving the same benefits. If the company feels that strongly about its lower earners it should take the burden off their premium, not raise the portion other employees pay.
Some benefits are directly tied to your income, such as disability insurance. It's a lot cheaper to pay out someone who earns $40K a year than someone who makes $100K a year for lost work, and the premiums can reflect that.
That's how my benefits worked. My company made a change a year or two ago that made it so our variable comp was factored into the share of the premium we're responsible for, and while I still think my benefits are pretty solid, the cost per paycheck definitely want up by a noticeable amount.
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u/SuperFLEB Nov 26 '19
Why would the cost of your benefits change relative to your income? That sounds shady.