Bonus

[jkilvinski]

I have been with a company for 17 years. They have always provided a bonus in February of each year. This year they did not. Many employees, myself included, count on this bonus as part of their salary. H.R. even uses the potential bonus to entice candidates to take lower salaries etc.

There is supposedly a calculation that backs up what the bonus should be, and zero is a possibility. As I said earlier, since bonus inception it has never been zero. There have even been times when the calculation pointed to a zero payout and a bonus was paid anyway.

Is there any recourse to pursue some payment, and what would be a probable outcome? Would my job be endangered if I pursued a class-action of some kind?

I work in Dayton, Ohio if it makes a difference.

 

[buddy2bear]

A bonus is an award, an incentive, an extra, a gift. Unless you have paperwork that specifically says that this bonus is part of your yearly compensation, then they can give it or take it away at any time.

Now, if you are union, then if they gave it every year, year in and year out (like a Turkey at Thanksgiving), then it is a past practice and as such, they can't just discontinue it without bargaining.

Every time you buck an employer, you run the risk of losing your job, particularly when there is money involved.