xmas bonus

[badger]

I have never in my life gotten a christmas bonus... do you get one?

[shootingstar]

Yes, I've received one..from when in private firms. Not all, but some.

When I've worked for govn't, I don't recall getting a Christmas bonus. And the positions I held in govn't were unionized. (I worked for provincial Ont. & B.C.) Provincial govn't Ont. employees have a strong union...which gives them much healthier salary pay scales than prov. B.C. unionized employees.

Would suggest to find out if your pension will be indexed according to inflation. A good govn't pension will be indexed over the years/decades.

Alot of major private firm pensions...tend not to be and no guarantee. It makes a difference long-term. So the lack of Christmas bonuses becomes not as important as other factors over time...that is if you stick around long enough.

[krisl6]

Nope :(

[Becky]

Nope, but I work in government, so I don't really expect one. Our idea of a bonus is being given an extra half day or day of holiday leave on Christmas Eve (not normally a State holiday) :D I like it when that happens because it gives DH and me a little more time to get packed up and on the road to the parents' house.

SS, good point about the indexed pension. I need to look into that!

[Tri Girl]

I do. I haven't always gotten one, but now I do (it's a few hundred dollars from out PTO). I teach at a very blessed Catholic School and I know that it's super generous of them to do that for us.


It's not thousands or tens of thousands (or millions for some CEO's) like some companies- but it's more than enough for me. :)

[NoNo]

We usually do here. Not a very large amount, especially after they take taxes out of it!:mad: Not sure what will happen this year since we had to lay people off, but we were told that we will be getting raises for next year. Of course, they're taking away the 401(k) matching.:( I guess I have to take what I can get.

[Pax]

Nope. Working for the state we get zero bonuses...and this year I'm expecting furlough days with a side threat of layoffs.

[KnottedYet]

Nope. No bonus.

[redrhodie]

I used to work in NYC, and the bonus was a big part of my salary. It was kind of a carrot dangled in front of us worker bees to rev up performance, and the amount was different for each person, and there were a lot of hard feelings because of that. Really, life is much better not having to worry about it. It created a lot of stress, and made us perform like drones. I would have enjoyed my job much more if that money was just factored into my salary, not some big guessing game that either made or broke Christmas.

In my current job, I usually get a some cash, but it's what a bonus should be, a little something extra.

[Tuckervill]

We get a turkey.

Karen

[tulip]

At my old job, we got a bonus tied to our projects' performance. We didn't discuss amounts, so I don't know what others received. It was a nice boost, since the pay was not so great for the city's living expenses.

At my current job we don't get them. We're a very small company (only 3 people), and if the budget would allow it, we would give bonuses. But for now we don't.

[annielynn]

We don't get a "Christmas Bonus" but the city I work for times our longevity Check to come to us the first check of December so that helps a lot. We also get a $25 grocery store gift card. I am happy with it.

[tulip]

We don't get a "Christmas Bonus" but the city I work for times our longevity Check to come to us the first check of December so that helps a lot. We also get a $25 grocery store gift card. I am happy with it.

A grocery gift card is great...at one place I worked we got nutcrackers--the soldier kind. Now, WTH was I going to do with a nutcracker? I detest knick-knacks and tchotkes. I would have much rather had a gift card with which I could buy something useful.

[Veronica]

No bonus for me, just "interesting" presents from my students. Don't give your kid's teachers knickknacks. Unless you know they really like that stuff. :D

This year we're getting our staff cut even more. It's sad, but the district just doesn't have any money. We've already started dipping into our reserves. Yet I know our union is going to squawk about any cuts the district proposes. We are one of the few districts in CA to still have 20 to 1 class sizes K - 3. That's costing huge amounts of money and I honestly don't see a huge benefit at 5th grade. I don't have any more students prepared for the rigours of 5th grade than I did pre 20 - 1.

Times are tough.


Veronica

[Pax]

A grocery gift card is great...at one place I worked we got nutcrackers--the soldier kind. Now, WTH was I going to do with a nutcracker? I detest knick-knacks and tchotkes. I would have much rather had a gift card with which I could buy something useful.

Ditto. For my five year service award I got a coffee cup and a $5 gift card to the coffee shop where I take break every morning, I thought it was a great gift!!

[jobob]

Not money, but my company is taking us all to see Cirque du Soleil next week. :cool:

[OakLeaf]

Don't give your kid's teachers knickknacks. Unless you know the teachers' adult children really like that stuff. :D

Fixed it for ya. ;)


We get a small bonus at the gym every year. AFAIK everyone gets the same amount, which means it's a pretty generous amount in proportion to the number of hours we instructors work.

[ny biker]

I've never gotten a "Christmas" bonus. But most of the companies I've worked for have had an annual bonus program, assuming they had a profitable year. At my current job I generally get about $500, give or take. It's a big company and they have a formula for determining bonuses that has nothing to do with merit. When I worked in NYC I got thousands, but that was with a small company that was rewarding me for hard work.

[Pedal Wench]

In good times, yeah, but lately nope. Paycuts and no raises in eons, so this year, I'm considering my paycheck a bonus. :o

[MomOnBike]

We often get on at the rehab hospital I work at - the budget allowing, of course. For those of us who work Christmas, there is a free meal, if you get to the cafeteria in time.

DH's company often gives a fairly generous (to our little minds) bonus this time of year, again depending on how well they've done.

So yes, we can get bonuses, but we don't budget around them.

[badger]

Nope. Working for the state we get zero bonuses...and this year I'm expecting furlough days with a side threat of layoffs.

that's interesting. I work on a municipal level, and we're facing some huge budget shortfall resulting in 150+ layoffs. Furlough days were brought up ever so briefly but they're going straight for layoffs. Which is really bizarre because all the municipalities around here are under the same contract and my city seems to be the only one facing these Draconian cuts.

So my bonus this year is that I still have a job.

[smilingcat]

Xmas or year end bonus :confused: what's that??? Hahahaha.... grrrr.

TMI so deleted. nope Nada.

[Pax]

So my bonus this year is that I still have a job.

Agree 100%.

[ACG]

I have been given bonuses depending on where I work.

I am so so fortunate that I am working for a company that is really busy and doing well financially.

[ny biker]

I am so so fortunate that I am working for a company that is really busy and doing well financially.

Me too. Last year was the best year to date for the division I work for, and this year is better. Despite the fact that the parent company went bankrupt and is in the process of selling us off.

[GLC1968]

Nope, never. I've worked for 7 major corporations since I graduated from college and not one of them had a Christmas bonus policy.

One company I worked for did give us what we called 'boxing day' where we received an additional 35% off our purchases (over and above our normal employee discount of 50%). This meant that we were getting a 67.5% discount for one day. It made shopping for Christmas presents REALLY easy! ;-)

[limewave]

Our Christmas bonus is a $25 gift card to our company-owned bookstore and we get out an hour early on Christmas eve but we get paid for the full day ;)

DH gets $150 in grocery store gift cards. He used to get several giant meat trays which we never ate. Finally one year, when asked what meat trays he would like, he asked if he could just get a gift card instead. We are so much happier now.

[shootingstar]

that's interesting. I work on a municipal level, and we're facing some huge budget shortfall resulting in 150+ layoffs. Furlough days were brought up ever so briefly but they're going straight for layoffs. Which is really bizarre because all the municipalities around here are under the same contract and my city seems to be the only one facing these Draconian cuts.

So my bonus this year is that I still have a job.

Methinks City of Vancouver delivers all sorts of programs for ie. social housing, and many other social services etc. on a scale that City of Richmond, Burnaby, etc. do not undertake to same extent at this time, because their population size and demographics is different. Also City of Vancouver is paying for the friggin' overspending on building of Olympic athletes' village (which will be turned into private luxury condos and landscaping after the Games. :mad: This is truly wrong for the end result of spending taxpayers' money...)

[badger]

they swear up and down that no Olympic overruns are a burden to the city, but who are they kidding? In the end we all pay.

[tc1]

Another public employee here. So of course no bonus. I am not complaining, pay is good, we're not talking about major layoffs yet. We are doing furloughs, but not my group.

When I worked for a company that has since gone out of business, they used to give us a turkey every year. And working for minimum wage, I was glad to get it.

[Aquila]

No bonus here. Instead, we get furloughed for a pay cut. So far, I still have a job, and that's good.

[snapdragen]

Nope - another guvermint worker :D

[blackhillsbiker]

I get a small one, for which I am thankful. I'm grateful to have a job this year. So many small local print shops have gone under. I'm glad we are still busy.

Deb

[badger]

interesting how many civil servants are on this site! is it that cycling attracts government workers, or are government workers more attracted to cycling because we need the outlet? ;)

[Becky]

interesting how many civil servants are on this site! is it that cycling attracts government workers, or are government workers more attracted to cycling because we need the outlet? ;)

I was thinking that same thing! I ride much more now than I did when I was in the private sector, simply because there's no routine overtime and more flexible schedules. Sure, I put in extra hours when the project calls for it, but it's not the norm to do 50 and 60 hour weeks. For me, the decreased pay is offset by my improved quality of life.

Of course, we definitely need the outlet too :D

[Pax]

interesting how many civil servants are on this site! is it that cycling attracts government workers, or are government workers more attracted to cycling because we need the outlet? ;)

In my previous occupation I worked non-stop and was on call 24/7. Now that I'm civil service I work 37.5 hours a week and NO call...I actually have time to pursue my interests now.

[OakLeaf]

Of the two non-retired people I ride with on weekdays, one of them's a federal employee ... it's really easy for her to take off work on short notice when the weather forecast is good. :)

[badger]

well, I suppose that's true.

[Maxxxie]

The place I work for has a performance incentive scheme in place (read: bonuses). Depending on how well goals have been achieved, a bonus can be as much as 20% of gross annual pay. That's substantial, in anyone's language.

This year, due to the downturn, no bonuses for anyone. Also, no payrises. I feel totally gipped, because I worked much harder this year than the previous five years I've been with the company. It's been really hard slog. But what can you do? At least I wasn't counting on that money. There are people in my department who were actually relying on a bonus to pay their bills. :(

Max

[shootingstar]

At least I wasn't counting on that money. There are people in my department who were actually relying on a bonus to pay their bills. :(

Max

Relying on bonus to pay bills is never a good thing.
It is nice if any employer made the effort to pay for a small luncheon/some food either catered or restaurant at least for employees in lieu of money bonus at Christmas. When I did work in govn't, some lunch food was brought on-site with everyone bringing in potluck dishes.

It doesn't have to be a lavish meal but it's the spirit of how such a meal is held. Some great memories where staff put on funny skits, hidden musical talent of some employees that we never knew about. Those types of Christmas staff parties I remember the most..the more modest ones. Looking because of where I worked there have been just unusual, fun parties:

legal aid--lawyers, IT folks did some great skits. IT folks were all remarkably gifted musicians.

courts/Judges-- oh, geez the law clerks did parodies of the judges who they worked. Gotta be careful here. But just some great stuff there. Food was just canapes and abit of wine. That's all.

last employer-- contrasting skits because employees were ex-patriate with work visas from Germany, U.K. Aussieland, Philippines.. Some jokes that only Germans would understand ..but then Canadians did a parody of 12 Days of Christmas by making the whole theme on progress of construction project..that reflected some wierd stuff that happened on our project.

[lph]

Of the two non-retired people I ride with on weekdays, one of them's a federal employee ... it's really easy for her to take off work on short notice when the weather forecast is good. :)

Yup, thazz me :)

[Aggie_Ama]

We have the opportunity, twice a year we are eligible for a bonus based on personal goals and company sales goals. It is 3.5% salary each time, so not huge but way better than nothing. They also have 3 prizes you can win this quarter and they are really nice, our company treats us well.

[kenyonchris]

LOLOLOL!! A Christmas bonus?!?! For a cop? Uh, no. I am fortunate not have had my pay CUT this year. Our city can build a new library (when we had a perfectly good old one) and host four expensive "festivals" a year, but we have not had raises or increased benefits in three years for any of us.

All that is ok, but *nothing* makes me madder than to have some person that I have pulled over for speeding or whatever use the tired old argument, "yeah, you know, my taxes pay your salary." AGH! Do they think I DON'T pay taxes?

It's not being underpaid/overworked....we chose this profession and the hours involved and knew the pay going in. It is being whacked over the head with statements like this time and time again. I actually had some guy who got out of his car the other day to yell at me. I was directing traffic in icy slippery conditions and had essentially closed the road while we pulled a car out of the ditch...it had slid in. I had been out there, wet and cold, for over an hour, my feet and hands were frozen, my lips were blue, and there was no end in sight. This doofus stomped down the hill I had trudged up and down to tell me he was missing the GAME. God give me patience. I told him to toddle back to his warm vehicle and turn the radio on because he would be there awhile. He told me that I should be flipping burgers somewhere for all the thought I had put in to how I was conducting the roadway. I lost my patience and told him if he didn't get back to his vehicle in the next 30 seconds, I was going to arrest him on a parking violation (yes, I can do this), obstructing the roadway, and impeding an investigation. This made him no end of unhappy, I will tell you. He tried to turn around on the two lane road, slid into the ditch and had to wait there...for me. He was waiting awhile. A long, long while.

So no raise. But sometimes fate (God, kharma) makes for moments that are worth more than money.

[kelownagirl]

I get a nice collection of chocolates, soap, wine, Starbucks cards, Christmas decorations, and cards/pictures made by 7-8 year olds. Sweet. :)

[shootingstar]

So no raise. But sometimes fate (God, kharma) makes for moments that are worth more than money.

Maybe you might end up helping a pregnant mother deliver a baby along the way ..like one of those rare featured cops. Always great stories.

[Xrayted]

I get a nice collection of chocolates, soap, wine, Starbucks cards, Christmas decorations, and cards/pictures made by 7-8 year olds. Sweet. :)

Your students give you wine?? :eek::p

I used to get a small bonus in my previous career based on how we did for the year overall. Now I work for a univ hospital in a union. If it isn't in the contract, we aren't getting it.

It isn't in the contract. I have a job though. We laid off 100s this year due to the economy, even though during contract negotiations, we found out our bottom line was actually very healthy the whole time. Apparently, they hid it in order to negotiate lower pay and less benefits for the next 4 years. :mad:

[malkin]

No bonus. We used to get raises, but that hasn't happened in a while either.

The parents at my school are great though, and they make lunch for us every month, and in May every year they have a big week long celebration where everyone gets a fun little prize. One year, a local shop donated a piano, and I won it. So I can't complain...ever!

[Trek420]

No bonus anymore, happy to have a job.

We used to have "the team award", profit sharing each year around February. That got nixed this contract. There was a small amount labeled as a signing bonus when the contract was signed. But the next three years bonus will be used to pay for our retirees benefits, otherwise the company said the retirees health care costs would go up.

Traditionally they would give us a half day off before X'mas (choice of leave early or start late) always with the admonition of "this isn't in the contract and we could stop this anytime we wanna" and last year they did :(

Don't see that starting again any time soon. But at least I have a job. :cool:

[Eden]

Ex fed worker here..... sure we didn't get a holiday bonus, but we had obscure paid holidays (always seemed to have twice as many as the hubby in private industsry),... and usually we'd be allowed to go at least 1/2 day early the days before Christmas and Thanksgiving


My current work place used to give out grocery gift cards, but the IRS put a nix on that.... (it has to be claimed as salary and the accounting was way to onerous to keep doing it).

There is an incentive based on a patient survey (well parents, I work in a children's hospital) that awards up to $500 bonus based on the results, but I work less than part time, so I'm not eligible as of now myself.

[Karma007]

I get overtime for working the holiday. Sadly, it doesn't carry to Christmas Eve or the day after Christmas. Fortunately, I love my job, and every day am happy to be an employee, and not a parent in the waiting room.