AvalonBay Employees Lack Access to Affordable Health Insurance While AvalonBay claims to foster “a spirit of caring” with regard to its associates and insists that it maintains a “sincere interest in their well being,”83 the company does not always provide its employees with access to affordable health insurance. In New York City, where employerfunded comprehensive family health coverage is the industry norm, the developer’s employees must make minimum biweekly payments of $34.86 just to insure themselves. In order to also provide their families with health insurance, AvalonBay employees have to pay at least $201.96 biweekly. This does not include the costs for vision and dental insurance. While vision insurance is relatively inexpensive, dental coverage costs an AvalonBay employee another $44 per month for himself alone and $131 per month to insure himself and his family.84 For employees in the nation’s most expensive city, these are terribly costly rates. Employees elsewhere also face expensive health insurance premiums. Richard Spivey and Jonathan Garcia, who work as maintenance technicians at AvalonBay complexes in Connecticut, speak for many when they complain that these costs are unaffordable.85
“I have been working for Avalon for a little over three years. In this time I have never had insurance with the company because of its cost....I am married with two [young] children...And I am spending money on doctors’ appointments that is for them and their future.” –Jonathan Garcia, maintenance technician at AvalonBay complex in Shelton, CT
“I have been with AvalonBay for eight years. When I started I had to choose 401k or benefits. I could not afford both.” –Richard Spivey, maintenance technician at AvalonBay complex in Milford, CT
AvalonBay Employee Health Costs, Monthly 600 Dental PPO
Monthly Costs, $
$121
Medical PPO
500
400
$404
300 $83 $75
200
$203
$0: always fully employer paid
$166 $41
100
$70
0
NYC Industry Standard
Employee Only
Employee & Spouse
AvalonBay | 15
Employee & Children
Employee & Family