Employer bonus - only selected employees

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Soldato
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Hi folks,

Just had a query on the following...

I work in a team of four people, today I heard (unofficially) that at least two of these people have been paid a bonus this month of £150 - this bonus has come unannounced and unexpected it seems; and presently it is unclear why it has been paid - but a friend of mine (who got it) asked and was told it was a bonus for working whilst I was signed off with stress 3-4 months back.

Can an employer actually do this?

It seems almost like favouritism to me - I say that, as I had to work through one of the team being off with stress last year, and didn't get even a thank you, I have also had to work on when they have happily taken away 50% of the team for weeks at a time - again with nothing. And I know for a fact the company drafted in extra people whilst I was off; so I would hazard a guess that the workload hardly changed.

I know the amount isn't much to some, but that's three weeks shopping for me and the wife, and there's also the principal too - it makes me feel undervalued, and that my constant efforts aren't worth it.

Roll on Wifey leaving uni and starting work, then I can jack this place in...
 
tom_e said:
I'm pretty sure it's none of your business what they pay others.
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Or so employers would want you to believe. There's a reason it's pushed that you keep pay/bonus to yourself - it stops employee's finding out they're being ripped off! OP if you think you deserve better look for another job.
 
Find a company that does employee bonus scheme? Generally they can do what they want

One would assume a lot of companies do this as an incentive scheme and only those that meet and kill targets will get them (although £150 doesnt sound much, but better than nothing), other companies will have an overall bonus scheme where all employees get a bonus (usually which start incurring throughout the year after your probation passes) usually
 
Jokester said:
Or so employers would want you to believe. There's a reason it's pushed that you keep pay/bonus to yourself - it stops employee's finding out they're being ripped off! OP if you think you deserve better look for another job.
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That's on the cards when the Wife qualifies - she's been offered a job already, so I'm hopeful; but it's my income keeping us afloat at the moment - so I'm sticking with the devil I know for now :(
 
Scort said:
Can an employer actually do this?
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Yup... think about what you're asking... can an employer give an employee some money? Yes, yes they can. Bonuses are usually variable and discretionary... that is just how they work otherwise they're not really bonuses but are part if your base salary or some other form of contractual payment.

In quite a lot of companies people with the same job title will earn different base salaries too. If you were away and these others weren't then it isn't hard to justify the bonus.
 
Can an employer do it? Of course they can.

There's a scheme where I work, where you can nominate people for payments for various different reasons, some of the past few ones have been for people covering important jobs, working extra hours, and being overstretched.
 
Don't think there is a simple answer really.

Dealing with kind of the opposite at work at the moment - been pulling a lot of extra hours and putting in more effort due to a combination of factors (manager resigning, other people off sick, others turning down extra work or not pulling their weight) and been given a little more preferential treatment (more flexibility in my working hours and extra break allowances/expenses) in response to that which has set some people off moaning about how its not fair (mostly those who aren't even pulling their weight in the first place).
 
My mistake, never worked anywhere with a bonus system - including current employer, and it seems to me (on face value) that they have pulled this bonus out off the air on this occasion, considering myself and other have seemingly met the same criteria numerous times before; and been given nothing.

Maybe it's just a new scheme they've come up with, but the cynical side of me (knowing the people behind it) is saying 'no way'.

Oh well, I'll take it as the kick in the teeth it feels like, won't bother to question it tomorrow.

Thanks for the info folks :)
 
When I started at my place bonuses were given to the select few and everyone complained.

The following year they gave bonuses to everyone, and everyone complained as the bonus was tiny.

The year after no one got anything and haven't since.
 
Not really a mistake IMO its a tricky subject and would depend a bit on the longer term picture i.e. if in future the tables were reversed and they didn't pay you the extra, etc. etc.
 
Company bonus schemes = excuse for company not to increase wages in line with cost of living/inflation or anything else. As bonus schemes are usually tied to 'how well the company has done this year' there's no guarantee of it actually delivering, despite possible good intentions at the start.
That's my experience of company bonus schemes anyways.

Particularly as ours is currently based on time served, hours worked (contractually) and some other stuff that all seems overly complicated for what it is.
 
My company offers a company incentive if we hit targets - this is for all employees and usually involves a night or two away somewhere (we have been to Disneyland Paris and CentreParcs so far). They also give out adhoc cash or voucher bonuses if and when they see fit to individuals for any reason they want, I have had 3 or 4 in the past for just going above and beyond or for just being seen as a hard worker (ranged from £150 to £500)
 
The company feels they earned a reward and you didn't. Perhaps spend some time understanding why rather than viewing it as favouritism.
 
Bonuses should always be considered just that, a bonus. You shouldn't have any sense of entitlement. An employeer can do what they like. I've smashed my bonus targets this year, but won't get one as the department hasn't hit the target required to release the bonus pool. Sucks, but nothing I can do.
 
You will almost certainly find that any bonus paid will have the word "discretionary" in there somewhere. Basically that means they can get out of paying anything, anyway they want as it's "discretionary"
 
Scort said:
Oh well, I'll take it as the kick in the teeth it feels like, won't bother to question it tomorrow.

Thanks for the info folks :)
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I think on one hand it can be useful to ask... but to frame it more along the lines of... what can I do to earn X

On the other hand, in this particular instance , mentioning this specific bonus completely drops your mate in it if they were specifically told not to tell anyone.

I'd wait a while and perhaps mention the issue of bonuses in general... don't link it to this one off payment made to two people.
 
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