Hello, my wife is pregnant and she’s in her 8th month. She suffers from herniated disc and she cannot do some regular daily jobs that require heavy stuff or lifting our 2 year old daughter, etc. I feel that I need to be home to take care of her and our daughter. At the same time I’m offered a new job only 2 miles away from my home and they want me to start ASAP. The new job is so close to my house so I can check on my wife even during my break.

To keep my current Health Insurance (Cobra), can I take a leave of absence from my current job (with no pay) and start my new contract-to-hire job which is through an employment agency? If I decided to stay in my new job, I will (say after 2 weeks), I will inform my employer and I will pay the difference of the Health Insurance and the Cobra.

Can I be on Leave of Absence and work in another job or not? Is this illegal?

Please advice.
Thanks,

To keep my current Health Insurance (Cobra), can I take a leave of absence from my current job (with no pay) and start my new contract-to-hire job which is through an employment agency?

That's entirely up to your employer. Unless you and your employer both qualify for FMLA/CFRA, a leave of absence for this reason up to your employer.

If you are currently working, how is it that you are on COBRA?

Can I be on Leave of Absence and work in another job or not? Is this illegal?

It is not illegal, but it is not a right guaranteed by law either. You can legally be fired for it in many if not most situations.

- If you are current employ, I don’t see reason why you on COBRA.

- I figure you want to take leave from you soon to be ex-employer to start (trial) with the new employer, this will consider MOONLIGHTING. Well there no law said you can’t, unless your current employer has a policy that doesn’t allow such activity.

I don't have Cobra at this time. When I get CFRA, will my Health Insurance change to Cobra automatically or will it stay as is?

It should stay as is.

I have a suspicion that you don't fully understand what COBRA is.