Kiss Your Raise / Bonus Goodbye?

The rumblings have already started; there will be no end-of-year raises this year at my place of employment. Only time will tell if these rumors come to fruition, but I think it's safe to assume that a majority of American employees will receive smaller salary increases (if any) and should expect anemic holiday bonuses. (Unless you work at ExxonMobile)

We here at Jobacle fully anticipate these 'bad news' memos to start hitting your inbox any day now. Even if your company is doing well, they are still going to safeguard the cash this  go around.

Since we love taking the pulse of what's REALLY happening in the workplace, we respectfully ask you to share these types of 'economic downturn' memos with us. Whether it's a slash in pay raises, a cut in hours, the merging of two entities, or no more open bar at the holiday party, let us know what's happening in your neck of the woods.

At your request we will keep your submission confidential, remove the company logo, etc. Send it through this form or e-mail me at jobacle @ gmail.com

Maybe there's even some good news out there! Let's cut through the headlines and take the pulse of the real deal.

In the meantime, you can read some fun stolen corporate memos or the more depressing Citibank one below.

Citigroup Memo -- Cut Spending

Comments

[Tony]

I work for a start-up and I just got a $10k raise after performing well for 5 months. This is probably more the exception than the rule, but it definitely gave me confidence that the market isn't dropping the hammer on everyone!

[Andrew G. Rosen]

Tony: Glad to hear some of our Jobacle readers are doing well out there! With all the doom and gloom that's been landing in the ol' inbox these days, it's quite an accomplishment to be recognized that way. Well done!

Now I'll ask the question before someone else does: Is your firm hiring? ;-)

[Geraldine]

I negotitated my payrise before I joined the company - $5k at the end of the first three months. Works for me!

[Jennifer B]

Cutbacks are happening all over the place.

Just last week, there was the infamous "pizza limit" email (print media's really hurting)
http://poynter.org/forum/view_post.asp?id=13678

and Freakonomics just posted about getting a note from their accounting firm that they would forgo a holiday party in favor of "a donation in your name."

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/tis-the-season/

[Krod]

Our company just got some private funding. As a result everyone is getting a smaller xmas bonus but a larger bonus for doing good work in March. My March bonus will be around 10k..

And we're hiring!

[Econix]

people ARE losing their homes and jobs, no doubt. however many of the people i've been speaking with seem to be doing a-o-k. where are these cuts really happening?