Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advice?

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Mill
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Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advice?

Post by Mill »

Hi all,

Ive been having some troubles at work lately (which a simple search of my username can provide more info, though not relevant to this thread) and I have decided to move on. :sharebeer No matter what though, there will be hard feelings from both my manager and myself. Lets just say its ugly, I feel unappreciated, unhappy in my job, and they will be very angry at me for "abandoning the team, and failing to step up to current challenges".

But I digress...

I am not looking to lawyer up over anything. I just want to be treated fairly, and move on.

Ive been waiting to receive my bonus before resigning/separating with the company, which I did receive on Monday.

I am very grateful for the bonus, but I noticed it was for $7500, which is $500 short of our original agreement from Nov 2013 (which I have in the official offer letter in writing). I thought it was curious so I politely emailed my boss asking the reason for the shortfall, stating that in the offer letter including my agreed upon salary, there was a sentence stating a "guaranteed bonus of $8000, payable upon closing of 2014 books".

My boss requested that I call him to discuss, which I did...

Boss: "I saw your email. When you have important matters like this, please make a phone call, its much more personal, but anyways, I checked with corporate, and it turns out that we had actually paid you a bonus in August of $3000.... Then he continued on that he has fulfilled the guaranteed bonus obligation (and then some) and jokingly suggested that I could write a $2500 check payable to the company."

I didn't argue with him, and I honestly forgot all about the mid-summer unexpected bonus that I received.

At the time of the $3000 mid-summer bonus, my boss shook my hand, said that the company is doing great, and thanks for all the hard work, heres a little somethin' for ya. Nothing was mentioned about possibly having that first bonus count towards/against the original agreed-upon $8000 bonus at managements discretion.

...Nor did I receive any notification saying... hey mill, sorry about this, but the original bonus we agreed on in Nov 13 is going to be a little short, but that's alright, we thought this may happen, so that's why we tried to pay some out mid-year.

That would have been nice, or at least there would have been an explanation. Or at least Id be less disgruntled...

Our company preaches "Clear Expectations. Not Assumptions".

I think what happened is that my boss was sitting around crunching numbers, saw an opportunity to cost-save,justified it in his head that "this employee is on PIP and we already paid him some early in the year, so he better just be grateful that he even receives anything. If he fights it, I have the mid-summer bonus to cover it, and more."

My question is... should I try to recover/ do I have a good chance to recover this $500? Or should I count my blessings (because technically I received $2500 more that I thought I would have throughout my time here) and just forget about it?

Ill be meeting with my boss on Friday to resign for unrelated reasons. Just wondering if I should push this issue. How should I go about this? I don't think he would appreciate being dragged through a battle of me notifying cc-ing his superiors about my complaint, or unofficially speaking off-the-record with my peers about this.

Am I being childish? Or do I have a legitimate gripe? Part of me feels a little bit of each. Regardless, Im glad Im out of here.

Sorry for kinda being all over the place with all of this. Any advice, feedback, suggestions are appreciated.

-mill
dad2000
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by dad2000 »

My 2 cents... Be happy that you came out ahead $2500, and just move on. $500 is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, and focusing on the new job instead of dwelling on the past will be more productive.
bogle_will
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by bogle_will »

It sounds like you have far bigger complaints with the company than the whether the bonus was $500 short, and if they've come close to firing you I'm not sure you raising an issue with your boss or his managers is going to be particularly effective in getting you extra money or in embarrassing your boss.

If I were you I'd save yourself the hassle and angst and move on to something better.
wilked
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by wilked »

I have some advice...move on. That $500 turns into $300 post-taxes, it's just not worth the fight. It's a small (working) world out there, you will connect with people at your work again, better to leave things on a reasonable note than be labeled as the petty guy who turned the screws on the company as he left (this is not who I think you are, but it may be how you get painted).

If it was more money I might fight it, but definitely not for $500. I think the phone call was a reasonable move but best to focus your efforts on the next job and call it a day
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FreeAtLast
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by FreeAtLast »

I was in a similar situation many years ago. Please "let it go" and walk away proud.....to new challenges and a better working environment.
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ClevrChico
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by ClevrChico »

In my years of working, I've been promised many things that never happened. I only count on what clears the bank.

I've also been rewarded when the company didn't have to, but they were generous. It all balances out.
stan1
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by stan1 »

Move on, you aren't a good match with the company you work for. The fact that they've honored the bonus commitment and put you on a PIP instead of laying you off outright is well beyond what most employers would do. I hope your job search leads you to something you are happier working on and that matches your skills.
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Traveller
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by Traveller »

Be happy with what you have. Fighting this would end up costing you in the long run.
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LiveSimple
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by LiveSimple »

childish

Grow up and move on, the company did meets it's obligations !
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dgdevil
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by dgdevil »

Buy him a $30 bottle of wine, and say, "Y'know what? You're right. Thank you."
Last edited by dgdevil on Wed Mar 11, 2015 10:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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tylerdurden
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by tylerdurden »

I'll join the consensus and also say that you should move on. The $500 is not worth the headache.
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Dyloot
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by Dyloot »

I'd completely, totally, utterly, let it go! :D

Perhaps you don't care about your brand within your company as you prepare to leave--but fighting over $500 as you're preparing to leave is not going to cast you in a positive light. It's a small professional world, especially with LinkedIn and folks bouncing from company to company to company as they climb the career ladder. You'd hate to be seeking a job in 10 years when someone on the hiring panel knows you (or of you) and hears that story. You may considered yourself entitled, but that's not going to protect your reputation.

To be honest, I'd put in another 6-8 weeks and distance yourself from the bonus payment date. I know you're probably well beyond this, but strategically, I think it protects yourself from potential professional harm in the long run.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TomatoTomahto »

Ruby wrote:childish

Grow up and move on, the company did meets it's obligations !
Move on. You are "that guy" at this company. I don't know how to say this nicely, but if I were your boss, I would be muttering something about your being an ingrate. They promised you $8,000 and delivered $10,500 -- I guess you're upset that part of it came early?

Man I'm glad I'm no longer a manager!
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DoubleClick
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by DoubleClick »

+1 for the consensus here. The mental effort alone is not worth the $300 after-tax, let alone the time and actual effort. Unless this was at least 10-20 times as much ($3k-$6k) after tax, it's probably not even worth mulling over for more than a minute.
basspond
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by basspond »

I think you got what you were looking for, venting. But next time please do it with a friend. Putting stuff on the internet could come back and bite you. Also, always try to work out issues by talking first. If you are not satisfied with your conversation, then use documentation including the conversation you had. Put yourself in your boss's shoes on how you would want your employees to approach you.
Technically you got more than what they promised you, but I can see your grievance and why did they only pull out $500 and apply to your promised bonus. They could have applied the entire amount.
2comma
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by 2comma »

With stuff like this I just touch my index fingers to my little fingers and go "hummmmmmmmmm". Type B, so not worth it.
If I am stupid I will pay.
johnubc
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by johnubc »

You are already ahead by $2,500 - you do not have an argument. Let it go and do not make it the reason you are leaving the company.
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leonidas
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by leonidas »

All this consternation over 500 bucks? Come on! Get over it and move on.
awval999
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Post by awval999 »

I would just move on.
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neurosphere
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by neurosphere »

dgdevil wrote:Buy him a $30 bottle of wine, and say, "Y'know what? You're right. Thank you."
A gesture like this might go a long way, yes.
carolinaman
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by carolinaman »

Just move on. It is too much trouble to try and recoup a mere $500. Also, it may or may not be important to you, but you risk burning bridges, hurting relationships and jeopardize future references.

FWIW, I resigned from a company after the end of their fiscal year and was shorted about $8,000 in my final bonus. I complained to management but opted to just move on. I had a pretty solid case against the company but exercising legal options to recoup what I was owed was going to be too much of a hassle. I am glad I did now because some of the relationships I had there have been very helpful to me in later life.
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SanityCheck
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by SanityCheck »

"Please, please , Step back from the ledge.......let's all talk about this serious issue.....come back inside and join the group counseling session !"
- Dr. Phil
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fizxman
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by fizxman »

I don't like not getting what I was promised as much as the next person but this is one battle I would choose not to fight. I do see that the mid-year $3000 bonus and the end of the year $8000 bonus as being two separate things and that the first bonus should have nothing to with the second but again it's not worth it.

And for those saying the OP is childish and to grow up, I'd ask you what would you do when you are shorted $500. Would you not even inquire about it? Because that's all that's been done up to this point, the OP asked the boss why the bonus was $500 short, nothing more. I would have done the same. No need to call the OP childish or an ingrate, all you had to say was "no, let it go and move on" or not say anything at all. To some people $500 is a lot of money and not as easy to let go.
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

wilked wrote:I have some advice...move on. That $500 turns into $300 post-taxes, it's just not worth the fight. It's a small (working) world out there, you will connect with people at your work again, better to leave things on a reasonable note than be labeled as the petty guy who turned the screws on the company as he left (this is not who I think you are, but it may be how you get painted).

If it was more money I might fight it, but definitely not for $500. I think the phone call was a reasonable move but best to focus your efforts on the next job and call it a day
+1 Get over it and move on. To pursue something over $500? your time alone will be worth more than $500. You got your money, take it and go.
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SmileyFace
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by SmileyFace »

+1 Move on. Going after them for $500 is not worthwhile - especially since based upon your prior threads they've got you having been on a documented performance improvement plan.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TomatoTomahto »

fizxman wrote:And for those saying the OP is childish and to grow up, I'd ask you what would you do when you are shorted $500. Would you not even inquire about it? Because that's all that's been done up to this point, the OP asked the boss why the bonus was $500 short, nothing more. I would have done the same. No need to call the OP childish or an ingrate, all you had to say was "no, let it go and move on" or not say anything at all. To some people $500 is a lot of money and not as easy to let go.
I've handed out many bonuses in my career, and my wife annually gives out some to her direct reports and her direct reports hand out some 2000 bonuses and report back to her any unusual responses (positive or negative). I don't recall ever having a situation where a promised annual bonus was exceeded, but by a narrow reading of the agreement, the bonus could be considered to have come up short, but I guess it happens. Nevertheless, in such a circumstance, in my experience, the boss (ie, us) would remember the employee as an ingrate. Over the years, there have been a number of ingrates. It does not help their comp in the future.

I considered it useful to mention, as this kind of reaction to a bonus is not in OP's best interests. It will probably not be the last disappointing bonus OP receives, and responding better next time would be a good idea.

Btw, his boss's advice was not bad. Resist putting things in email unless you really need a paper trail. "Say it, forget it. Write it, regret it."
Last edited by TomatoTomahto on Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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TIAX
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TIAX »

Ruby wrote:childish

Grow up and move on, the company did meets [sic] it's [sic] obligations !
Unnecessarily harsh. It's not childish to prefer that your contracts be honored.

Also, the whole "call me instead of emailing me" nonsense is just the manager not wanting documentation of what he knows is a mistake on his part. Pretty sleazy and dishonest.

Did anyone consider that perhaps $500 is a lot of money to the OP?
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TomatoTomahto »

TIAX wrote:Also, the whole "call me instead of emailing me" nonsense is just the manager not wanting documentation of what he knows is a mistake on his part. Pretty sleazy and dishonest.
I think the manager was trying to be helpful, as this is an employee with a significant, and documented, history. As to the manager's "mistake," it's apparently already documented (ie, the promised and actual bonus amounts) so I don't see what was sleazy and dishonest. I guess one man's nonsense is another man's good advice.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
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N1CKV
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by N1CKV »

Questioning the missing $500 was reasonable, pressing the issue isn't. You need to pick your battles in life, this one isn't worth it.
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fizxman
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by fizxman »

TomatoTomahto wrote:
fizxman wrote:And for those saying the OP is childish and to grow up, I'd ask you what would you do when you are shorted $500. Would you not even inquire about it? Because that's all that's been done up to this point, the OP asked the boss why the bonus was $500 short, nothing more. I would have done the same. No need to call the OP childish or an ingrate, all you had to say was "no, let it go and move on" or not say anything at all. To some people $500 is a lot of money and not as easy to let go.
I've handed out many bonuses in my career, and my wife annually gives out some to her direct reports and her direct reports hand out some 2000 bonuses and report back to her any unusual responses (positive or negative). I don't recall ever having a situation where a promised annual bonus was exceeded, but by a narrow reading of the agreement, the bonus could be considered to have come up short, but I guess it happens. Nevertheless, in such a circumstance, in my experience, the boss (ie, us) would remember the employee as an ingrate. Over the years, there have been a number of ingrates. It does not help their comp in the future.

I considered it useful to mention, as this kind of reaction to a bonus is not in OP's best interests. It will probably not be the last disappointing bonus OP receives, and responding better next time would be a good idea.

Btw, his boss's advice was not bad. Resist putting things in email unless you really need a paper trail. "Say it, forget it. Write it, regret it."
Without knowing the tone or body language of the OP, in the meeting about the discrepancy, I don't see how anyone can make any judgments. If the OP came in and demanded the $500 and threatened to sue, yes that would leave quite a bad taste in the boss's mouth. If the OP came and said "I noticed a difference in what was written in this document and what I actually received, can you explain why?" I don't see how that can be seen as a negative response to the bonus amount. To me, it's just a person with a vested interest in their money. Of course, this is without knowing their relationship history as well.

I agree on the point of not putting things in email that would otherwise leave a paper trail but in this instance it appears that the person who stands to benefit the most here is the boss, not the OP. Assuming what the OP says the boss said in the meeting is 100% accurate and not embellished in any way, I would want that on paper. The boss said he checked with corporate, but did he really? If he's lying and it's on paper, that would help the OP if he wanted to pursue the $500. When something benefits or protects me, I want it on paper.

But again, I wouldn't pursue this any further, it's not worth it.
staythecourse
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by staythecourse »

This all matters how much you "need" your old boss/ company going forward. Are you changing into a completely different career? If not then you may end up running into your ex company at some time in the future and would not unintentionally hurt yourself by causing bad blood for a simple $500.

IF you do want to push it the first thing to do is some googling. Google what your state labor laws are in relation to final paycheck/ bonus. My state has strict statutes and clear that in your situation UNLESS it was intimated that the bonus you already got was MEANT for the bonus contractually bound then it would likely be considered "discretionary". It is obvious some of it was discretionary" as you were to get $8k, but go a TOTAL of: $10,500. Our state law is very specific that discretionary bonuses are not protected, but those spelled out in black and white in contracts are enforceable.

In our state there is no cost to the employee if you file a grievance with state DOL. They process the complaint, ask the company their side of the story, use applicable laws, and try to act as a arbitrator. If that doesn't work then the company goes to court and you get representation from the state. Most states are VERY pro employee when it comes to protecting wages.

In the end, I think you are definitely entitled to your wages they withheld, but don't think all the aggravation is even worth it. Consider getting the most positive feedback from a now past employer for future references worth $500.

Also do not believe ANYONE who says not to put something in print (email or other). The only reason for someone NOT to want written proof of a conversation is if they are intending to hide/ deny something in the future.

Good luck.
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Boomer01
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by Boomer01 »

I agree with everyone, move on and forget about the $500. It's not worth a fight.
Altephor
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by Altephor »

Mill wrote:Hi all,

Ive been having some troubles at work lately (which a simple search of my username can provide more info, though not relevant to this thread)

Actually it's very relevant. You've already almost been let go from this job, and you want to complain that they didn't GIVE you $500? Considering your other post, you're lucky to get any bonus as far as I'm concerned. The fact that you actually got $2500 MORE than was promised, my advice would be to shut up and deal. The fact that you had the gall to send your boss an e-mail complaining about the amount was already a stupid move.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TomatoTomahto »

staythecourse wrote:Also do not believe ANYONE who says not to put something in print (email or other). The only reason for someone NOT to want written proof of a conversation is if they are intending to hide/ deny something in the future.
The only reason? How about, in this situation, where there is already an ongoing and documented HR issue? In this situation, if I'm your manager, I can't help but add it to your file, where it will not help your cause. I guess I'm "hiding" it if it's verbal, but not for my benefit, for yours.

I am amazed, over the years, how quickly many BHs assume that management is always sleazy and dishonest. Fwiw, every now and then, management actually has the employees' best interests at heart. Ymmv.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
metacritic
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by metacritic »

OP seems to be in a very bad place with his workplace, getting sucked into unnecessary quarrels and in a cycle of ongoing antagonisms. I will presume that this is unique to the situation and not a constant part of OPs character.

Normally I would say find your next job before giving notice, but perhaps given OPs antagonisms it is right to leave now and look from afar.

I will say poster should drop any quarrel about bonuses. From what I've read there was no shorting - he was given an excess amount beyond what was pledged - though employer might have been justified in not awarding a bonus given the performance plan and the several complaints by direct reports. Additionally, perhaps most importantly, the sum he feels shorted is negligible compared to the importance of maintaining good relations with past employers.

Also, in each of these threads the poster is more specific about conversations and discussions than prudence dictates. He could be easily recognized given his blow by blow details about precise exchanges. After leaving this job OP should reflect on the dynamic and how he contributed to what transpired.
PatrickA5
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by PatrickA5 »

Over the years, I've been underpaid and overpaid when it came bonus times. I, for the most part, just brushed it off and went on with life. Your boss probably used that $500 to give to someone else that he likes better. To this day, I'm convinced the cute girl in the office next to me got quite a bit of my bonus over the years. But, nothing you can do about it without looking like a whiner.

I once had a position where my main duty was determining bonus amounts for field personnel. The amounts were a large percentage of the field manager's compensation (usually 25% or higher). I'd calculate the bonuses based on very specific criteria. Come bonus time, I'd go for my meeting with the division President and present my calculations. Without fail, he'd always take huge amounts of money from one person and give it to others. I'd say something about the bonus criteria being in writing and he'd said he didn't care - "I don't like that guy - give it to this other guy". It's just a part of life at megacorp that I'm glad I don't have to deal with anymore.
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Pajamas
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by Pajamas »

Sounds like it was corporate and not your boss and that you weren't the only one treated this way.

I would not be 100% happy with it, either, but you did get more than the promised bonus for the year.

It is probably just easier to count this as one of the reasons that you are glad you left the old job and moved on. In other words, you are right, but pursuing it is not likely to be successful and would probably not be worth the stress even if it were successful.
ERISA Stone
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by ERISA Stone »

You're not being childish. It's fine to ask about it. I don't see anything wrong about you sending an email. Having said that, it would not be worth it for me to fight it, as others have mentioned.

I haven't read your other posts so keep it in mind with this comment - I really like the idea of giving your manager a parting gift, if you can afford it, and can get past your pride if you're feeling shorted. It's obviously anecdotal but one of the most beneficial relationships I've had in my career started from a manager in my first job. I hated him and we were at each other's throat all of the time. I quit because of him but I left on good terms. He ended up hiring me at two other companies. Nothing may ever come of it but you never know if that small gesture might work out for you in the long run.
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rob
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by rob »

So you BARELY dodged been fired (debatable from the last thread) and you want to quibble over $500 when you have an extra bonus in the mix....

Um... okay :oops:
| Rob | Its a dangerous business going out your front door. - J.R.R.Tolkien
pacodelostigres
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by pacodelostigres »

I don't think OP should pursue it, because of the amount, reputation, history, etc.

However, I do think OP got screwed out of $500 here. He had a written agreement to get an $8k bonus after books were closed. The fact that the company paid additional bonus on a different schedule doesn't change this. That was their choice, and it was outside of the agreement as described. I don't think it's acceptable for employers to change written agreements on a whim. People make plans based on what they have in writing, and if the early bonus was an advance on a previously agreed to sum of money due at a later date, that also needed to be communicated in writing. People get this type of thing in writing for good reason.

What if it was $50k instead of $500? Or $500k? Pick a sum of money that would make you angry and think about how you'd respond if you were planning to get a check that was an unpleasant surprise. I can see OP's point.
andyandyandy
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by andyandyandy »

:thumbsup
dad2000 wrote:My 2 cents... Be happy that you came out ahead $2500, and just move on. $500 is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, and focusing on the new job instead of dwelling on the past will be more productive.
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midareff
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by midareff »

dgdevil wrote:Buy him a $30 bottle of wine, and say, "Y'know what? You're right. Thank you."
+1
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8foot7
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by 8foot7 »

I certainly would have asked for an explanation if my bonus was $500 short of a guaranteed, in-a-contract amount. Even (and perhaps especially) in a tenuous relationship, I would like to know where the numbers come from, especially when they differ from an agreement both I and another party signed.

But given you are resigning on Friday, it's going to cost you more than the $300 after tax the bonus would be for you to fight for it. Write it off.
TIAX
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TIAX »

TomatoTomahto wrote:In this situation, if I'm your manager, I can't help but add it to your file, where it will not help your cause. I guess I'm "hiding" it if it's verbal, but not for my benefit, for yours.
Oh no, not "the file" (is that like a folder in outlook now?). This whole "you should be lucky you have a job" meme is getting pretty old in this thread. Don't people here value themselves at all?
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TomatoTomahto »

TIAX wrote:
TomatoTomahto wrote:In this situation, if I'm your manager, I can't help but add it to your file, where it will not help your cause. I guess I'm "hiding" it if it's verbal, but not for my benefit, for yours.
Oh no, not "the file" (is that like a folder in outlook now?). This whole "you should be lucky you have a job" meme is getting pretty old in this thread. Don't people here value themselves at all?
OP is under a "Personal Improvement Program" for, among other things, intemperate emails. I assume that there is a paper trail of issues around the Program, and referred to it as "the file." I'm sorry if I offended your sensibilities.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
TIAX
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TIAX »

TomatoTomahto wrote:
TIAX wrote:
TomatoTomahto wrote:In this situation, if I'm your manager, I can't help but add it to your file, where it will not help your cause. I guess I'm "hiding" it if it's verbal, but not for my benefit, for yours.
Oh no, not "the file" (is that like a folder in outlook now?). This whole "you should be lucky you have a job" meme is getting pretty old in this thread. Don't people here value themselves at all?
OP is under a "Personal Improvement Program" for, among other things, intemperate emails. I assume that there is a paper trail of issues around the Program, and referred to it as "the file." I'm sorry if I offended your sensibilities.
And what about asking the company to honor a contract is intemperate?
pgrey98
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by pgrey98 »

dgdevil wrote:Buy him a $30 bottle of wine, and say, "Y'know what? You're right. Thank you."
Good advice here. In the grand scheme of things, $500 is nothing - show you are the bigger person.
ShiftF5
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by ShiftF5 »

neurosphere wrote:
dgdevil wrote:Buy him a $30 bottle of wine, and say, "Y'know what? You're right. Thank you."
A gesture like this might go a long way, yes.
I think I would also try to fit "I'm sorry" in there somewhere and then just look to the future.

Best wishes.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by TomatoTomahto »

TIAX wrote:
TomatoTomahto wrote:
TIAX wrote:
TomatoTomahto wrote:In this situation, if I'm your manager, I can't help but add it to your file, where it will not help your cause. I guess I'm "hiding" it if it's verbal, but not for my benefit, for yours.
Oh no, not "the file" (is that like a folder in outlook now?). This whole "you should be lucky you have a job" meme is getting pretty old in this thread. Don't people here value themselves at all?
OP is under a "Personal Improvement Program" for, among other things, intemperate emails. I assume that there is a paper trail of issues around the Program, and referred to it as "the file." I'm sorry if I offended your sensibilities.
And what about asking the company to honor a contract is intemperate?
1 - I didn't say that the latest email was intemperate. But, OP has a history of hitting Send before carefully considering whether the email is wise or not -- those were intemperate.
2 - It is only a very narrow reading of the agreement that results in a conclusion that an agreement was not honored; and that's taking OP's version at full face value.
3 - My impression is that we will never agree on this. We should just probably agree to disagree and call it a day.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
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8foot7
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Re: Bonus received. But its not what was agreed upon. Advi

Post by 8foot7 »

I would skip the wine. You're toast at that company and it won't change your boss' opinion of you. Just move on.
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