Christmas Bonus

[warnerj]

Hi Guys,

Looking for your advice here.........

Over the last 5 years we have been given a Christmas bonus by the company which was 8 days of your salary (minus any sick days you have) and this year instead of giving us a Christmas bonus they have removed it as they need to pay our huge 1% pension contribution. (legal requirement)

I imagine paying people a Christmas bonus based on sick leave was illegal in the first place but do I have any grounds to request my Christmas bonus this year? I presume they will say that the bonus is discretionary as it was removed from our pay reviews at the start of the year.

Cheers

[warnerj]

Its effected productivity across the company, 4 people where ill yesterday which is a first. I wouldn't mind but the 1% pension contributions come nowhere near the value of the Christmas bonus. The company is doing itself no favours in the long run.

Ultimately its changed peoples mindsets, once I was careful with my expenses. Now they are going through the roof and they wonder why!

[warnerj]

marcosgt said:

Obviously, if there's been a usual practice of giving N%, taking it away is going to be unpopular, but maybe the business in question is in more trouble than you're aware of?

M

I know we aren't in trouble as I see the figures - just a lot of change across the organisation now we have a new chairman is place. The main problem is the owners are gambling with a lot of new staff to get to the next level and the old culture is no more.

Drive staff into the ground with people working 8am-8pm as the norm for minimal salary and now the last perk has been taken away.

[warnerj]

A lot of hate on my comment that my expenses have gone up. Some people even stating that I'm stealing from the company! I'm now just claiming what I am entitled to such as travel which I wouldn't claim before and using the budget agreed at the start of the year.

It's good to see different perspectives especially the input from business owners and their take on it.