Christmas Bonuses, or lack thereof...
 

How much do people usually get for Christmas bonuses from their jobs? Of course, it's probably all relative... if you work at McD's, you probably won't get as much as, say, being an exec for an advertising firm or something.

I work as a programmer for a small company that brings in quite a bit of money. We (the programmers) are pretty important within the company, and without us, things would pretty much seize up.

That being said, our "bonus" last year was $250 (pre tax)... The company I worked at prior to this, which brought in just as much, probably even LESS money than we do, we got $900-$1200 bonuses. Talking to other people about this, that amount seems farily common for our line of business.

This year, each day of the week our boss put out a fairly small gift... like a basket of chocolates or whatever. Today a $35 gift card to a certain store. I have a strong feeling that this is gonna lead up to the surprise of not getting a christmas bonus since we have a few more people working now than we did last year.

So... what do you do in this type of situation where a company stiffs you like this for christmas? If we end up not getting the bonus, I'm thinking about asking them to tack on another week towards my vacation or something..

I don't mean to sound all, "I'm entitled to a bonus NOW! Graahhhh" or anything, but it is pretty cheap for a company to stiff people like this.. especially the very people who keep it afloat.

I work for a manufacturing company, and I got a $500 (pre tax) bonus this year. I think last year and the previous year it was $250. We had a very good year though, better than expected.

I don't think that a company is entitled to give out bonuses. Sure, it's nice. But some companies just don't do it.

What would I do in that situation? Nothing. It's amazing that I'm still employed with the amount that I screw up :lol: So I'd keep my yap shut.

Maybe ask your boss if you're getting bonuses? And if not, ask why. I don't know. I don't think people should expect a bonus at all.

Well, I worked for more than a decade in the public sector where bonuses are unheard of. They simply do not exist. So I kind of got used to not having one.

Then I had a few jobs but only for short periods of time before returning to school to get my degree. Now I just started a new job where the holiday schedule sucks, but the company is pretty cool with lots of perks, but I do not see a bonus coming here either.

Still, I think being happy with what you do should trump one's need for a bonus. As well, the term "bonus" implies that you've done something to earn the extra attention. They shouldn't be just automatic.

Anyway, good luck with your holiday time request, or your bonus, whichever comes first. If you get neither, you could always be thankful your working and living indoors, not everyone has that going for them. Just a thought.

Peace,

Pierre

I'd also like to add that we're grossly underpaid/underappreciated for all that we do. We can EASILY go elsewhere and do the same amount of work with a $20k/year salary hike, but we stay because we like the company. We get other perks like being able to do whatever we want, working whatever hours we want, but still, the company DOES take advantage of this.

It just seems like the ONE time a year that they can redeem themselves by saying, "Hey, we really do appreciate your work, we do understand you're underpaid, so here's something for your troubles," they simply overlook it.

Yeah yeah, I know you're probably thinking, "then go work elsewhere." Sadly, I think it may end up getting to that point. I feel bad though because if we leave, the company will end up being screwed.. but I just don't know what to do anymore.

Talk to your boss about a raise...

I am getting $35 bonus this year...woo hoo let the good times roll. Cingular is Cheap.

When I worked for AT&T wireless last year my bonus was $500

We tend to get our bonus around March.

I am not getting any bonus whatsoever.

Never have.

I have to just say, that the company of which stompy speaks, is truly this ignorant about their programmers abilities and qualifications for higher paying gigs, which they all (there's three guys in their dept. stompy, asshopo (my hubby) and another 'friend' of ours') could easily get in a heartbeat! I don't think it's that they want to bonus, as much as they want the boss guy to say "Hey guys, I know we do this every year, but things are a changin' as the company is growing, so this year seeing as I wouldn't give you a raise, and I gave you a shitty bonus for a HUGE project that you completed for me, I'm also not going to be giving you a Christmas bonus!"

I think they just want to know what to be prepared for. Asshopo's bonus is usually great for last min. gifts for our kids, and seeing as the above project bonus sucked big donkey bottom. We were kinda hoping that a holiday bonus might help make up for it! It seems tho, that I am going to have to hope they have something at best buy for under $35.

Please don't think of stompy as greedy, just a bit miffed with an unsympothetic jerk of a boss who expects more outta these guys then most. And he expects it all out of kindness and treats them like children (they started at teens and have grown with the company, but they are still treated like teens!) Long story short, I have an understanding of where he's coming from as he works with hubby, and I know his asking is from a different stand point then most are seeing here :)

Plus the other question he added :)

No christmas bonus for me. We used to get a ham or turkey, but that stopped about 5 years ago. We do get a company end of year bonus in October. That usually starts at $250 and goes up. Depends on your time at the company and performance. Mine was about $3K. Makes up a bit for the little salarly I have!

We get our bonus in the summer. They've ranged from 8-14% over the years.

Damn!! $500, $900, $1,200, $3,000?
Hell, I got me a $100.00 gift card to Walmart. Thing is...I don't shop at Walmart on principle. Damn scrupples.

Sounds like a perfect re-gift opportunity ;)

Already waaaaay ahead of you. But I like how you think. ;)

The company I'm at this year gave me a $50 bonus. They give more to people with more seniority. The last company I worked for varied widely on bonuses. One year the bonus was a turkey, another year the bonus was $100, another year the bonus was a fleece pullover with the company logo embroidered on it. Then one year the company gave everybody a tv, with the size of the tv being based on seniority. Overall though I dont expect a bonus. If a company doesn't give a bonus I hardly consider it stiffing their employees. It is a bonus after all.

I WILL take that Wal-Mart card. That's a whole lot of underwear you're missing out on though.


-fibber

I've been doing tech support for a large company for two years now. My bonus was a $10 gift card to Starbucks. Oh, and I get to come in for 3 of the five days the company is on mandatory shut down. So much for a Christmas vacation. Oh well, I'm just happy to be employed.

What are these things called "Bonuses"? Just kidding but like Charlatan, I don't get bonuses. I also get to work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. I can't complain about it though because I chose this job knowing what I would and wouldn't get.

Well vox, they're probably unheard of in the public sector because public servants get paid sometimes up to 3x as much as an equivalent person in the private sector.

Heh, you atleast get a few days off. We have Christmas eve off and thats it.

I think I'm just gonna start working half as much.. or tell em it'll take a week to do something when it really only takes a day or two. I guess that'll kinda balance things out :)

Nah, I'll ask for a hefty raise after this project, I think. If that doesn't work out, then I guess I walk. Asshopo is about to walk too, so.. this will be interesting.

I'm also glad I'm not the only one working for a thoughtless greedy company that treats employers like shit. My case shouldn't be as bad though since it's a very small company and we all know each other personally. It just sucks that it is.

I'm also thankful I don't have a family (Read: wife/kids) to buy presents for. I couldn't imagine not getting compensation for all that money spent.

Um, you're kidding right? I was working for an educational institute, not the Post Office. Salaries at any University or College in Alberta (and elsewhere I always asumed) are between 15% to 20% LOWER than private sector. That's correct. So, low pay and no bonus, but we do get to fihgt with a fucked-up union from time-to-time just so that we can pretend we had job security, which we also didn't have. Those who are still there STILL don't have any of the above.

As for 3X, where does THIS number come from? I honestly can't say I've seen this kind of wage disparity anywhere, never mind public vs. private.

Anyway, the thing is, low pay and all, I'd go back to work there in a flash because, unlike the private sector, there is a real sense of community working at a large post-secondary institution, and being around a place of higher learning is good for the soul.

Peace,

Pierre

Boy would I love to be an associate in my company. They get quarterly profit based bonuses. I know that most of them are in the range of $10K and up.

we get Incentive Compensation Plan bonus in August, which is based on earnings, and individual modifiers. The range over 3,500 employees is from about 500 bucks to several hundred thousand for top executives. the average bonus is about 9,000.

btw, I'm not guessing at this...I'm in Payroll and just checked on the spreadsheet hehe.

our bonuses are based on company performances and we get them in Feb.

I used to get a 15% of salary bonus. Then they started jiggering it with it's 15% of the projected 80% target (i don't know WTF target they are talking about...) but now I get 10% since I came back.

At one company I worked at they made sure that everyone was given a of about $50 at the local supermarket to ensure everyone had a holiday dinner.

Otherplaces I have worked.. 1 weeks pay, and another nothing.

Every year I have recieved a very generous bonus. My first year it was $1,000; 2nd year, $2,000; and 3rd year, $2,500. It makes up for the crappy pay all year long in a way. Every year tehy have come right before Christmas and every year I've been stressed about it. Well this year money has been tight for me and nobody has heard about the status of a bonus.

I'm really pissed Due to the nature of the high bonuses we've recieved in the past for everyone and the fact that it is written in that bonuses come at the end of the year it's become something you can pretty much count on. You don't expect much but it's always been there.

Obviously, they are not obligated to give them out. However, if suddenly out of the blue they are going to decide not to, the employees should have been given some sort of advance notice. I'd be understanding if they could just fucking tell me. It would have given me the opportunity to plan around it. Now it's three days before Christmas and I have no money.

FUCK!!!!!!

No bonus for me. I work for Comcast Spotlight and bonuses just don't happen. I wouldn't expect one. After all the company isn't my family or anything so I don't expect a gift from them but it would be nice.

Well it's one thing to never get a bonus and not expect one. It's an entirely different thing to get one every year and then get nothing with no communication from the management. I work in a small company (<15 people) communication should not be an issue.

What you need is a hot cocoa sampler box. :D

I don't know what's more disturbing: the fact that companies feel it's okay to get away with this, or the amount of people who are fine with getting nothing...

People need to speak up for themselves a lot more often.

Now that I am an independant contractor (in the IT industry) I pay myself. So needless to say, I don't give myself bonuses. But while I worked at PwC, i did very well. We were given 10 - 15% of our pay (based on merit rating) as a bonus or what they called the 'variable component' of our salary. The most that I ever got in this plan was $14,000 which was 15% of my salary. That was for three years running. Needless to say, I maxed out on my RRSP's with this money.

I am a small business owner, and I gave most of my employees bonuses. I gave it to those show deserve it. The bonuses I gave were equal to 2 weeks pay.

wow... you make 280k a year...nice.

I have an expense account mastercard, my boss said to buy myself something nice. I hinted around as how "nice" is nice. His answer, "what you think is fair, let your conscience be your guide".

I haven't decided what I will get, actually I'm having a hard time thinking of something fair, yet what I feel I deserve.

Hopefuly thats u.s. dollars and not canadian :)

At my job every year for christmas we get $25 bucks for each month we've worked there, this year it added up to about $600 for me. We also get random prizes based on raffle numbers. Last year I wound up with a Hi-def TV, this year I took home a really nice Lan bag.

actually, if 14,000 was 15% of salary, then 100% of salary is $93,333.33

/payroll guy

our "bonus" is a big box of fruit and a ham gift cert...

The only way I see a problem with not getting one is if you've worked for a company that did it every year then stopped without warning the employees

there is nothing anywhere that says a company has to give an xmas bonus

right on. I think the advent of all the different versions of A Christmas Carol seems to make people think that they should have one....

based on how things are these days, (and depending on your salary....but again, the way I've seen things go is the more you make, the bigger your bonus is)....I would spend no less than $1,000 on yourself!

But what you and the boss need to keep in mind, is that anything you purchase for yourself is imputable, and should be added to your W2 and taxed accordingly. If you have a nice boss, he'll gross it up and pay the taxes on your behalf. :thumbsup: