Employee Contract Bonus Structure

[Gecox22]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Hampshire.

Back In September I was demoted. I forced to signed a new employee contract that stated in brief description they only thing to change was my hourly rate and all other employee benefits would stay the same. And at the end of the year when companies bonuses came out instead of my 10% I used to get I received 5% and when I directed my question to my newly appointment manager which originally told me after I signed my demotions that my bonus would not change, was directed to HR. HR told me that I received what I was supposed to receive because they calculate bonus on december 31st and that if I was a hourly employee on that date then I would only get that bonus percentage. But when I informed them about my contract and how it stated all my benefits would not changed. They said they had made a mistake in the contract and they would have to get back to me. After getting back to me my manager and I had a phone conversation which HR stated they were coming up with three different scenarios that would be to my benefit, but then my manager spoke up and said why are there scenarios, the contract we sent him and made him sign and we signed stated that only his hourly rate would change it is black and white what is there to discuss he gets his 10%. The HR person then told him that she thought he had other questions that needed to be answered outside of the current meeting and that she would talk to him after this meeting. Which she never did answer his question while I was in the room. So after I was forced out of that meeting basically he called her back and I found out he was verbally reprimanded for putting her on the spot like that.

All I want is what I was promised and I want to keep it. I have already gone through hell for this job, I mean my old manger basically tried to get me fired because he was getting fired for his mistakes then i was told I couldn't apply for his position because him and his boss were best buds and I wouldn't get it any ways, all of this because when his manager (his best friend) told me I was to be demoted due to victim of circumstance(basically my boss f-up and the higher ups do not think we know how to do the job) so they want some one new, and said are to freaking kidding me I have been doing my job and my bosses for the last three years and they want to demote me. it is not my fault my boss doesn't know anything about his job. I had tried helping him over and over and he keeps f-ing up thats not my fault. Which later I found out he then told my boss what I said because my boss to me that if I thought I have been his job and my that I should apply for it but I wouldn't get it because he has made sure I wouldn't get it. then find out he has paved the way for a guy that knows half of what I do get the job over me and then basically get black balled by him because he thinks he has to prove he knows more than me (which he doesn't) and because my old manager told him too.

So I am just tried of getting F by these people and just want what I was promised in my new contract.

Do I have a right to my 10% seeing I have a contract that states nothing will change. I mean in my new managers new said today it stated his bonus would go form 5% to 10%. So seeing that if my was to change when I was demoted wouldnt my have said the latter going form 10 to 5, which it wasn't supposed to.

Any help would be greatly appreciated I know the story is long, but all the stress is killing me, lost so many night of sleep worrying about my job and this.

Thanks in advance for any help,

 

[justalayman]

take your old and new contracts to an attorney who can read them and advise you. From what you said it is likely you have an actionable claim but since the details are important, my interpretation based on only what you have provided may not be accurate.

 

[Gecox22]

Thanks for the advise. I am supposed to find out from HR tomorrow what they are going to do. What could I tell them with out saying no thank you I am seeking legal advice. If they do not own up my contract.

 

[LdiJ]

Thanks for the advise. I am supposed to find out from HR tomorrow what they are going to do. What could I tell them with out saying no thank you I am seeking legal advice. If they do not own up my contract.

It really depends on how badly you want to keep the job. Remember, they can fire you for any reason at all, it does not have to be misconduct, therefore if you raise too big of a stink you should be prepared to find another job.

 

[commentator]

Which is something you should've seen the handwriting on the wall about for quite a while now. I sincerely doubt they'll be willing to pay you the bonuses as offered, and when you say, "No, I won't accept this, I'm seeing an attorney!" they'll be so frightened by this threat (not) that they'll say, "And of course, we assume you are resigning, right? Please sign here!"

While your contract may require that they pay you this bonus at this time, most people fail to realize that they have far fewer rights on the job than they'd imagined they do. They almost always have the right to terminate you any time, at will. Your one big outstanding right is the right to quit and go elsewhere any time, at will.

You're very overinvolved and overwrought about this one particular job, you've had it for a long time, and you've become totally engrossed in the office politics of he said/she said/they did/ they didn't. No job is worth losing lots of sleep over, agonizing about what is being said about your job performance, your relationships with co workers, whether your supervisor is being fair to you, etc. No law anywhere requires that they treat you fairly, give you deserved recognition for doing a good job, or not mistreat you or demote or underpay you, unless it is related to an EEOC issue such as your race, age, religious affiliation, etc.

If you are fired, there is a possibility that you will be approved to receive unemployment insurance benefits while looking for another job. If you resign, your chances of being approved are very much smaller. So they'll be glad to accept your resignation any time, I suspect, while they are unlikely to terminate you. I'd talk to that attorney, pursue leads to finding another job and move on from this situation which has become such a negative one.