Current Events > Was my boss's choice fair or unfair?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I make the most of anyone at my level at work. I negotiated hard when I got hired, and I have more certifications than them.

This year everyone got raises... Except me. I didn't even get the standard annual raise. Now everyone makes what I make, which is awesome for them.

But my boss decided I don't get my annual raise because I "already make enough"

Am I being dumb for being upset about this? I see both sides

---

Here's the thing. If he gave you a raise, he'd then find some excuse to fire you.

---

You may be able to get a raise... working for another company.

---

Umbreon posted...

You may be able to get a raise... working for another company.

this is true.

---

Are you already at the top of your pay band? I'd see his point, but you're also saying you have more certs, which should net you at the very least a COLA raise.

---

Njolk posted...

I make the most of anyone at my level at work. I negotiated hard when I got hired, and I have more certifications than them.

This year everyone got raises... Except me. I didn't even get the standard annual raise. Now everyone makes what I make, which is awesome for them.

But my boss decided I don't get my annual raise because I "already make enough"

Am I being dumb for being upset about this? I see both sides

Something is definitely iffy since you have certifications. But.. Raises are based on performance. How was your performance review, and are you on good terms with your manager?
Pepys Monster posted...

Here's the thing. If he gave you a raise, he'd then find some excuse to fire you.

That doesn't make any sense... It's the other way round if anything.

---

Insanely unfair I would be very upset.

---

If you dont think its fair go work someplace else?

---

No raise when inflation is easily around 5%? Fuck that, and
Umbreon posted...

You may be able to get a raise... working for another company.

---

Pepys Monster posted...

Here's the thing. If he gave you a raise, he'd then find some excuse to fire you.

This is a direct quote from you in your own topic made today about the rich lol:

Pepys Monster posted...

How are they "screwing over everyone else"?

---

Umbreon posted...

You may be able to get a raise... working for another company.

---

It is unfair. Already make enough doesn't excuse you from what you're owed , specially if you're a productive employee. Its not about the money, but the perceived treatment and lack of appreciation.

---

Shablagoo posted...

This is a direct quote from you in your own topic made today about the rich lol:

lmao.

peppys so busy trying to be unlikeable he cant even avoid contradicting himself for more than an hour or so.

---

I'm sure part of his reasoning is I have more certs and responsibilities, but my fellow workers have more years so they're more useful in other areas of the jo that I'm not as versed in

It's a niche outdoors job, I'm great at it and we're all friends, it's not some hostile office environment

I did go part time because of this and picked up some very high paying gig work in a related field. I live in a small town in the middle of nowhere, lack of competition is the reason our pay sucks to begin with

---

Yeah, you should have at least gotten a COLA raise in my eyes. If you're really bothered, might want to shop around for a new job.

---

Mr Hangman posted...

Certifications are just a proxy for your ability, a way to judge when they don't have anything better. After you've worked for them for a year (or more) they should consider that meaningless next to what they've learned actually seeing you work.

Not in my field, I'm the only one legally allowed and physically capable of performing these tasks

---

Here's what you do. You shop around without telling him. You put out some feelers to other companies and see what they are willing to offer you for your talents. You get some offers from other companies, you don't necessarily have to take them but you gather than up. Then you present your case to your boss before the time expires on any of those offers. You don't have to mention the other companies. In fact, I wouldn't.

And if he is still not willing to budge on the amount of money you deserve, then you move jobs. It doesn't mean you can't be friends with the people at your current job, it just means that your going to a place where you feel valued, where you feel you are getting your moneys worth.

Don't let people bully you into thinking your undervalued. That's how people become complacent and miserable at their jobs, and that affects not just yourself but everyone around you.

Your company move toward equity maybe this year. I would try to do better next year.

---

Njolk posted...

Not in my field, I'm the only one legally allowed and physically capable of performing these tasks

yeah you should at least get the annual raise too then

I got a $3/hr(16.6%) raise this year and then right after they gave the whole department a $1 raise and I got that extra dollar too

---

Njolk posted...

Not in my field, I'm the only one legally allowed and physically capable of performing these tasks

In other words, you're currently irreplaceable?

Ivany2008 posted...

Here's what you do. You shop around without telling him. You put out some feelers to other companies and see what they are willing to offer you for your talents. You get some offers from other companies, you don't necessarily have to take them but you gather than up. Then you present your case to your boss before the time expires on any of those offers. You don't have to mention the other companies. In fact, I wouldn't.

And if he is still not willing to budge on the amount of money you deserve, then you move jobs. It doesn't mean you can't be friends with the people at your current job, it just means that your going to a place where you feel valued, where you feel you are getting your moneys worth.

Don't let people bully you into thinking your undervalued. That's how people become complacent and miserable at their jobs, and that affects not just yourself but everyone around you.

---

Mr Hangman posted...

Alright, good point. You have some leverage. Still, it's hard to judge fairness in this kind of situation since a lot of the information you might need to decide that people keep secret for tactical or other reasons.

Yeah my thinking is it's fair-ish to not give me the big raise either -- I'm near the top for my level

But I don't think it's fair to not give a COLA

Either way, I found another job to supplement that pays twice as much and maybe I'll just transition to doing only that eventually

---

I'd also make sure that you have the other job before you quit. Or at the very least have it in writing that the position is yours. That way you aren't leaving one company for unemployment. Then between 2 companies, take a week or two to yourself before joining the other company.

If you have no adverse actions that would justify this passive 'punishment'. Then yeah it looks pretty unfair. Digging below the surface level we may find legitimate reasons, but it doesn't really change anything.

First 2 things that come to mind.

1. Are you already maxing out your designated pay bracket? (If your company even has this system)

2. Is it even in the allocated budget, would one or more of those other employees have to be left out of the payraise to cover yours?

Perhaps my friend, depending on how you feel about this, this business simply can not afford your skill set.


---

Are yearly raises in your contract? If so, then get the raise.

Njolk posted...

Not in my field, I'm the only one legally allowed and physically capable of performing these tasks

If this is the case than immediately look for another job. You're a vital asset.

---

Disengaged posted...

If you have no adverse actions that would justify this passive 'punishment'. Then yeah it looks pretty unfair. Digging below the surface level we may find legitimate reasons, but it doesn't really change anything.

First 2 things that come to mind.

1. Are you already maxing out your designated pay bracket? (If your company even has this system)

2. Is it even in the allocated budget, would one or more of those other employees have to be left out of the payraise to cover yours?

Perhaps my friend, depending on how you feel about this, this business simply can not afford your skill set.

You're totally right, I am being "punished" for dropping from full time to part time (in his words)

I'm not at the top of my bracket, the new raise would have put me at the top. It IS in the budget, otherwise I wouldn't be salty.

My boss is a nice guy and we're friends, he's not doing this to personally attack me. He says he "doesn't want to reward all the people leaving" as we've had several of our best people go part time for more gig work

---

Njolk posted...

You're totally right, I am being "punished" for dropping from full time to part time (in his words)

I'm not at the top of my bracket, the new raise would have put me at the top. It IS in the budget, otherwise I wouldn't be salty.

My boss is a nice guy and we're friends, he's not doing this to personally attack me. He says he "doesn't want to reward all the people leaving" as we've had several of our best people go part time for more gig work

It sounds like your business can not afford the skillsets of it's employees.

---

Disengaged posted...

It sounds like your business can not afford the skillsets of it's employees.

You hit the nail on the head. But they don't care, as long as they keep finding workers

It's a fun job in my dream town though, so I'm sacrificing money to be happy

---

and at the end of the day you have to question whether your happiness is worth the pay loss.

There was a great story on the Dave Ramsey show of a couple who recently finished medical school and became surgeons. They had 2 options out of college. Either they could live a stable life in New York making 350k a year, where they would be near friends and family and live the lives they want to live, or they could take a 3 year contract living up in northern Canada making 850k a year, but wouldn't be able to get out of their contract for 3 years.

Dave pretty much put it like this. You can live a stable life being happy and nothing changes, and who knows, in 3 years time a job may pop up where your getting paid a lot more. Or you can take the risk of working somewhere that's unfamiliar territory for a lot more money, be miserable for a couple years but at the end of the day you get out of it being able to buy your own home, and when you leave that job you have an increased value of someone of your position.

It really is up to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=379e6PVFJmE&ab_channel=TheRamseyShow-Highlights

Ivany2008 posted...

and at the end of the day you have to question whether your happiness is worth the pay loss.

There was a great story on the Dave Ramsey show of a couple who recently finished medical school and became surgeons. They had 2 options out of college. Either they could live a stable life in New York making 350k a year, where they would be near friends and family and live the lives they want to live, or they could take a 3 year contract living up in northern Canada making 850k a year, but wouldn't be able to get out of their contract for 3 years.

Dave pretty much put it like this. You can live a stable life being happy and nothing changes, and who knows, in 3 years time a job may pop up where your getting paid a lot more. Or you can take the risk of working somewhere that's unfamiliar territory for a lot more money, be miserable for a couple years but at the end of the day you get out of it being able to buy your own home, and when you leave that job you have an increased value of someone of your position.

It really is up to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=379e6PVFJmE&ab_channel=TheRamseyShow-Highlights

That is really dumb to me but I guess I'm not driven by money

Be happy or make money... Uh what kind of choice is this

---

I only use Dave in this instance, its the one time I found him bearable. Usually I use someone like Graham Stephan as an example.

The choice between happiness and money is a very difficult one. On the one hand if your only going to be making 3-4 dollars difference then obviously you choose happiness, that only amounts to a couple thousand dollars difference. But if your offered a real job, one that is paying a very substantial wage difference, the choice becomes far more complex. You could be happy with what you have, coasting along and maybe you'll get a better job in 3-4 years, or take the risk into unknown waters, where your interacting with people and software that you aren't used to in exchange for a little more financial security and experience which is worth a lot in any industry.

Choice is yours. If you choose to be happy, good on you. I know which one I'd choose.

You don't make more by staying in the same place the rest of your life. Someone out there is willing to hire you for more. That's how you climb the ladder.

---

Njolk posted...

You're totally right, I am being "punished" for dropping from full time to part time (in his words)

I'm not at the top of my bracket, the new raise would have put me at the top. It IS in the budget, otherwise I wouldn't be salty.

My boss is a nice guy and we're friends, he's not doing this to personally attack me. He says he "doesn't want to reward all the people leaving" as we've had several of our best people go part time for more gig work

I would not be friends with your boss. There should be some professional boundary. He likely knows that. And bosses can act nice to you, especially outside of the office, but they can fire you for whatever reason

---

Yeah this is one of those situations that can't and won't ever be fixed. A move has been made down a path from which there is no returning. He doesn't value you, and he doesn't care if you leave (didn't read any posts besides the first btw).

You just have to move on, and you'll get way more money by doing so. This is just kinda how it goes nowadays. Either you stay in one place and get taken advantage of, or you change jobs every 18-24 months until you've ranked up enough to be the one who doesn't value his employees properly.

---

Njolk posted...

But my boss decided I don't get my annual raise because I "already make enough"

did he say this to you?

---

If he isn't giving you a raise then inflation will make your salary even less valuable next year than this.

I'd leave.

---