Leaving job- bonus due?

claire1209

Hi, i have decided i need to leave my job for health reasons. The environment has become so toxic in the past 2 years and I have been out sick since Nov 19. I am burnt out from the stress and more.

Anyhow i took the time out (much longer than i had planned) to get myself better and return but i just can't. I am sick to my stomach even thinking about it.

I have decided to hand in my notice. Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year. Should i still request this at my final meeting with them? I know i was out sick for 2 months of the year but i worked my socks off for the 1st 10 months.

Your thoughts would be appreciated
Thanks

dartboardio

claire1209 wrote: »

Hi, i have decided i need to leave my job for health reasons. The environment has become so toxic in the past 2 years and I have been out sick since Nov 19. I am burnt out from the stress and more.

Anyhow i took the time out (much longer than i had planned) to get myself better and return but i just can't. I am sick to my stomach even thinking about it.

I have decided to hand in my notice. Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year. Should i still request this at my final meeting with them? I know i was out sick for 2 months of the year but i worked my socks off for the 1st 10 months.

Your thoughts would be appreciated
Thanks

Was this bonus guaranteed every single year? As in, mentioned in your contract?

Or just an unspoken thing but usually happened every year.?

If the latter I doubt you can go asking for it

The Phantom Jipper

claire1209 wrote: »

Hi, i have decided i need to leave my job for health reasons. The environment has become so toxic in the past 2 years and I have been out sick since Nov 19. I am burnt out from the stress and more.

Anyhow i took the time out (much longer than i had planned) to get myself better and return but i just can't. I am sick to my stomach even thinking about it.

I have decided to hand in my notice. Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year. Should i still request this at my final meeting with them? I know i was out sick for 2 months of the year but i worked my socks off for the 1st 10 months.

Your thoughts would be appreciated
Thanks

100% request it. As the other response has mentioned, the terms of your contract will clarify things but you would have a strong case for at least getting a pro-rated bonus for the portion of the year that you were in work for, in my opinion.

Johnny Sausage

if the bonus is not gauranteed and you are leaving they probably wont pay you it,

and rightly so

B.A._Baracus

Ask and see what happens.
Since you are leaving they might turn around and try not to give it to you.


Have you handed in your notice or about to? If the latter hold out to your get your bonus THEN hand it in.

Don’t hand in your notice until you get the bonus. You won’t get it if you do, regardless of what your contract says.

witchgirl26

It depends on what your contract states and when the bonus is due to be paid, not just the period it relates to.

For example - if the bonus relates to the year 2019 but isn't paid out until the end of April the following year, there could be a clause in your contract that states you have to be in employment with them on the date of pay out in order to be eligible for the bonus. Even if you were with the company for the full year to which the bonus relates.

Keyzer

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Don’t hand in your notice until you get the bonus. You won’t get it if you do, regardless of what your contract says.

This...

If you hand in your notice before going back then you can kiss goodbye to whatever chance of getting the bonus you might have had.

Dav010

Keyzer wrote: »

This...

If you hand in your notice before going back then you can kiss goodbye to whatever chance of getting the bonus you might have had.

If bonuses are paid at year end, op would have already got it as it would likely have been for tax year 2019. Unless stated in the contract, bonuses are discretionary, so no entitlement.

Creamy Goodness

Dav010 wrote: »

If bonuses are paid at year end, op would have already got it as it would likely have been for tax year 2019. Unless stated in the contract, bonuses are discretionary, so no entitlement.

Some are calculated at year end and then given in February, well that's where it's like where I work. Mass exodus starts end of Feb

Dav010

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Some are calculated at year end and then given in February, well that's where it's like where I work. Mass exodus starts end of Feb

Ya, that would be the normal way, the op would know by now though if he/she was going to receive it this month.

qwerty13

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Some are calculated at year end and then given in February, well that's where it's like where I work. Mass exodus starts end of Feb

End of March where I worked before. End of April where I work now.

Strumms

Enquire about the bonus, explain that it will fast track settlement of some medical bills... if they deny you the bonus, just give them notice, if they pay, when the cash is in your account, hand in your notice.

witchgirl26

Strumms wrote: »

Enquire about the bonus, explain that it will fast track settlement of some medical bills.

With all due respect, why would the company care about this at all? If there is a process in place about getting a bonus and when, they're not going to give it out to someone just because they have some bills to pay. I could have done with getting my bonus a month earlier last year with some big car bills coming in but that wasn't going to happen as it's paid on a particular date.

Strumms

witchgirl26 wrote: »

With all due respect, why would the company care about this at all? If there is a process in place about getting a bonus and when, they're not going to give it out to someone just because they have some bills to pay. I could have done with getting my bonus a month earlier last year with some big car bills coming in but that wasn't going to happen as it's paid on a particular date.

The bonus was due to be paid ‘last’ year, it’s overdue... so they should fücking care. To remind them that the reality is people have budgeted for and or waiting for this cash to enable them to satisfy financial commitments. ‘Process’ with all due respect is just a management or management lackey buzz word for a delay tactic. The bonus IS overdue, management need to be held accountable and put to the pin of their collar about why it hasn’t been paid,it’s unacceptable that it hasn’t been paid and employees have to be informed as to exactly WHEN it gets paid...

witchgirl26

Strumms wrote: »

The bonus was due to be paid ‘last’ year, it’s overdue... so they should fücking care. To remind them that the reality is people have budgeted for and or waiting for this cash to enable them to satisfy financial commitments. ‘Process’ with all due respect is just a management or management lackey buzz word for a delay tactic. The bonus IS overdue, management need to be held accountable and put to the pin of their collar about why it hasn’t been paid,it’s unacceptable that it hasn’t been paid and employees have to be informed as to exactly WHEN it gets paid...

If the bonus was indeed due to paid out on at the end of the year, then yes it is overdue. However if it is the case that the bonus is based on the past year but isn't due to be paid until say the end of March, then no they can't just go ahead and pay out on it early because people budget for it.

And you shouldn't budget for a bonus unless it is a contractual one. I get a good bonus most years but it's non-contractual so I never count on getting it or use it when I'm financial planning.

It's not a delay tactic. We don't know is the bonus fully performance based or part personal performance, part company performance which would need the company to announce results before being able to tell people what their actual bonus is.

Look processes exist for an actual reason more times than not.

As I said before, if the bonus was due to be paid, and not just accrued on last year and due to be paid sometime this year, then yes the OP should definitely ask management about it and understand why this hasn't happened. However if its not due to be paid until say the end of March, then you'll often find contracts state you have to be in employment on the date of payment or you don't get it.

Strumms

witchgirl26 wrote: »

If the bonus was indeed due to paid out on at the end of the year, then yes it is overdue. However if it is the case that the bonus is based on the past year but isn't due to be paid until say the end of March, then no they can't just go ahead and pay out on it early because people budget for it.

And you shouldn't budget for a bonus unless it is a contractual one. I get a good bonus most years but it's non-contractual so I never count on getting it or use it when I'm financial planning.

It's not a delay tactic. We don't know is the bonus fully performance based or part personal performance, part company performance which would need the company to announce results before being able to tell people what their actual bonus is.

Look processes exist for an actual reason more times than not.

As I said before, if the bonus was due to be paid, and not just accrued on last year and due to be paid sometime this year, then yes the OP should definitely ask management about it and understand why this hasn't happened. However if its not due to be paid until say the end of March, then you'll often find contracts state you have to be in employment on the date of payment or you don't get it.

The OP has said that it was DUE the end of last year, it is 7/8 weeks OVERDUE. Approximately one 6th of a year overdue, 56 days or so, OVERDUE.

The only processes a company should concern themselves with is following through on the promises and commitments that they make to their employees and paying them as per agreed schedules, both wages and bonuses. They have failed in this regard, not satisfactory, not good enough.

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

The OP has said that it was DUE the end of last year, it is 7/8 weeks OVERDUE. Approximately one 6th of a year overdue, 56 days or so, OVERDUE.

The only processes a company should concern themselves with is following through on the promises and commitments that they make to their employees and paying them as per agreed schedules, both wages and bonuses. They have failed in this regard, not satisfactory, not good enough.

Careful up there. Bonuses, unless guaranteed in the employment contract, are discretionary. Only the op and employer know what the terms of payment are.

skallywag

Agree with the above, you need to look into your work contract and see is the bonus payment explicitly mentioned.

Another point which comes into play for me is whether or not you were paid while out on sick leave or not. As I guess you know, there is no obligation for a company in Ireland to pay you while you are on sick leave. If they paid you, nonetheless, during that two months, then I would find it a bit rich to also expect a non contractual bonus to be paid out.

Strumms

Dav010 wrote: »

Careful up there. Bonuses, unless guaranteed in the employment contract, are discretionary. Only the op and employer know what the terms of payment are.

The employee was informed that they were to be paid the bonus.

If I receive communication from my employer that I qualify for a bonus, that it shall be paid on March 4th, it’s reasonable for me to believe them, reasonable of me to take them at their word, it’s reasonable of me to expect to receive the money. It would be reasonable too for me to expect a conversation or email in the event of them having to renege on the commitment, complete with reason for the delay and specific date when it will be paid. It’s unreasonable to be sitting, waiting, wondering....

Good employers are good communicators, this employer is neither a good employer or good communicator.

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

The employee was informed that they were to be paid the bonus.
.

Where did you get this from?

Strumms

Dav010 wrote: »

Where did you get this from?

“Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year.”

Presumably they were informed of this and it wasn’t a scenario they dreamed up in their head.

skallywag

Ah well, that could easily have been that a bonus is usually paid out at the end of year, without any formal agreement or expectation.

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

“Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year.”

Presumably they were informed of this and it wasn’t a scenario they dreamed up in their head.

Bonuses are usually paid/due at the same time of the year, that does not mean you are entitled to it. You are making up a narrative to support your point of view. The op needs to check his/her contract to see if bonuses are guaranteed, if not, they are discretionary.

Strumms

Dav010 wrote: »

Bonuses are usually paid/due at the same time of the year, that does not mean you are entitled to it. You are making up a narrative to support your point of view. The op needs to check his/her contract to see if bonuses are guaranteed, if not, they are discretionary.

If the OP was informed they earned the bonus, qualify for it, will receive it and given a timeframe of when they will get it.. that’s not a narrative, that’s the information the OP gave us, you might with respect, wish to reacquaint yourself with the details the OP gave us, as you seem to be sidetracking yourself with your pro-employer obsession or fetish or whatever it is, the facts are all there, go back and have a read.

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

If the OP was informed they earned the bonus, qualify for it, will receive it and given a timeframe of when they will get it.. that’s not a narrative, that’s the information the OP gave us, you might with respect, wish to reacquaint yourself with the details the OP gave us, as you seem to be sidetracking yourself with your pro-employer obsession or fetish or whatever it is, the facts are all there, go back and have a read.

Where are you seeing that the op was informed he/she was getting a bonus?

Strumms

Dav010 wrote: »

Where are you seeing that the op was informed he/she was getting a bonus?

“Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year.”

They would need to have been informed to have this understanding. . It’s not a scenario they imagined.

Dav010

Strumms wrote: »

“Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year.”

They would need to have been informed to have this understanding. . It’s not a scenario they imagined.

But it could be assumed, perhaps wrongly, that they are entitled to it. It will be stated in the contract. Again, you are making up scenarios, like that the op was informed it would be paid, to suit your viewpoint. That doesn’t help the op, reading his/her contract and any terms relating to bonuses will though.

Strumms

Dav010 wrote: »

But it could be assumed, perhaps wrongly, that they are entitled to it. It will be stated in the contract. Again, you are making up scenarios, like that the op was informed it would be paid, to suit your viewpoint. That doesn’t help the op, reading his/her contract and any terms relating to bonuses will though.

No scenario has been made up not even close, you are again just putting a negative twist on what other people are saying in threads, which I’ve noticed is a consistent tactic employed by yourself in attempting to discredit other posters rather than engaging in a proper debate or conversation and reasoned discussion, take a step back, breathe and try and contribute rather then criticize and make stuff up.

witchgirl26

Strumms wrote: »

“Thing is i was due to be paid a bonus at end of last year.”

They would need to have been informed to have this understanding. . It’s not a scenario they imagined.

Eh not necessarily. If it was a standard thing that happened year on year at the discretion of the business, then they could have assumed rather than been informed.

I assume I'm getting a bonus at the end of next month based on the companies results, as that has been the case for the past number of years in this post, however no-one has directly informed me of this.

You are making assumptions here.

OP - check your contract and see what it says about your bonus as to whether you have to be in employment with them on a certain date to receive it and if it is a contractual bonus or at the discretion of the company. Also check if you got a "bonus letter" for 2019 setting out the terms of the bonus for that particular year. A lot of companies will issue these laying out the terms, the split (if any) between company and personal performance and the expected date of payment.

However if the bonus is non-contractual then it is at management discretion and no history of payment is a guarantee of future payment. Therefore if it is a non-contractual bonus, the company can wave him off and he has no come back.

Strumms

witchgirl26 wrote: »

Eh not necessarily. If it was a standard thing that happened year on year at the discretion of the business, then they could have assumed rather than been informed.

I assume I'm getting a bonus at the end of next month based on the companies results, as that has been the case for the past number of years in this post, however no-one has directly informed me of this.

You are making assumptions here.

I’m not assuming anything, far from it. The poster used the word ‘due’.. by the definition of the word ‘due’ it’s not discretionary but refers by definition of that word in the context of its use as an ‘obligatory payment’...’ones right, what is owed to one’.