Question

I have been out of work since July 16, 2008 & was on STD until Oct 14. My STD was converted to LTD and it has been approved from Oct 14 through Feb 09. I received a call 2 weeks ago from my manager & she said "Whenever you are ready to come back to work, I'm sorry, but we won't have a spot for you". We are a small company (Title Company) and are owned by a group of Commercial Real Esate attorneys. I asked about my benefits & she said it shouldn't change. The company pays for my portion of my health care & disability policy. (I pay for life insurance, dental & vision). We are a very small company that does not meet the 50 employee minimum for FMLA so that has not factored in.
Well, yesterday, my manager called me again & said that they are going to terminatate me effective 12/31/08 and they would send me some insurance info in the mail (I am assuming COBRA).
I don't think I can afford the high COBRA premium and am going to try to get on my husbands policy (my concern is they may not cover pre-existing conditions). I am having another big surgery in Feb & need coverage!

Anyways-----------right now, my second biggest worry (besides not having health coverage) is the status of my LTD.... Does that continue on since it was approved & active before I was laid off? At this point I really don't want to call the LTD insurance provider---I want to have a little background & some info so I am prepared to ask as many questions as necessary.

I guess that my employer has the right to terminate me & I don't really have a leg to stand on but was hopeful they were going to keep my benfits in force. WRONG!!:)

Also, I was not the only one laid off---they are downsizing because the real estate market in in the crapper so I don't believe I would have grounds for any type of discrimation either.

THANKS so much for all the expert advice