some bonus!

[EveLGenius]

I am still in somewhat stunned disbelief over the latest insanity where I work. This is mostly going to be a bit of a rant more than a request for advice, unfortunately, because I'm already doing the only thing I can, which is applying for jobs elsewhere.

Some quick background. I work at a Contract Research Organization- basically scientists for hire. Since our work by definition doesn't belong to us but belongs to the person hiring us, it's incredibly rare for us to be able to publish scientific papers. My company has a policy that promises a bonus of $500 for every paper we publish.

I did some work that turned out absolutely spectacularly, and the person hiring us was so pleased that he wanted to publish it. He asked me to write the paper (I did), and submit it to a journal. Fourteen months of revisions, reviewer's responses, and formatting errors later, the paper was finally published in a reasonably well-read journal.

I submitted the appropriate request for my bonus last August, and have been waiting to get the bonus, figuring that they'd roll it in with year-end bonuses (the company is cheap that way).

Just yesterday, I discovered that the director had decreed my publication "not worthy" of a bonus, because the journal "wasn't prestigeous enough." What! A) There isn't a company list of "acceptable" journals to publish in; B) The journal is read internationally- it's not like I was publishing in the Paraguayan Peanut-Grower's Monthly or something; and C) He denied me the bonus IN AUGUST, and they're just now telling me about this. I'm furious.

I wish I could go to HR, but there's only one HR person for the company, and when the director says "frog" she starts hopping. I know that etiquette-wise there isn't a darn thing I can do, but this strikes me as the last straw in bad management from this company. I'm outta here as soon as I find something else.

[ShadesOfGrey]

I wouldnt give up on going to HR.  (If you do, you have only yourself to fault) Write a letter, put it in your personnel file, cc boss, his boss and HR person with all of the facts that you just stated.  No need to rant if you havent exhausted all your options  yet.  They are re-negging on their policies.  How would you feel if you were sexually harrassed at work, and your boss said "well, s/he didnt say/do/touch you anywhere THAT badly, so, no, we wont do anything about it..."?

Tell us how it goes. 

[Chocolate Cake]

Unbelieveable!   There is some bad karma that is waiting in the wings to get that director; when it strikes someday, I hope you'll hear about it and feel a little better.

When you find a new position, I think you would be doing a favor to the remaining employees if you mentioned in your exit interview that you feel this process should be formalized so that there are no disappointments after the employee has done good-faith work towards publication.    

The key to ensuring that sharing this information doesn't turn into a "bridge burning" episode is to remain as calm, factual, and unemotional as possible.

I hope you find a new job very soon -- preferably to where you can put in your notice and leave during the busiest time of the year!

[Clara Bow]

Wowee...I would be impressed to have published anywhere, even the Paraguyan Peanut Grower's Monthly...
Some people are JEALOUS when others do well. Sweet supervisor may be one of these. I'm sorry you have to put up with that crap. But if I tell you a funny story of an insulting bonus, maybe you can see that sometimes nothing is better....
When I was working for a chain pharmacy who's genesis was in the darkest pits in hell and was actually still run from that locale, they sent out the management's quarterly bonuses. Every year it had been a nice amount of cash. This year I'm speaking of? They sent out free movie tickets to Godzilla (now Cyndi, don't smack me, but that movie was not exactly a blockbuster) and a coupon for a free popcorn. Nice huh? Especially for the people who needed that money for a purchase or their savings....my manager was so disgusted he said he would have preferred nothing to that.

[EveLGenius]

Well, I'm going to talk to my supervisor (his name was on the paper too, and no, he didn't get the bonus either) about putting a request in writing to HR for a list of "approved" journals. That may or may not fly, depending on whether or not my supervisor wants to rock the boat any more. However, the more I think about it, the more I think I'll talk to the HR person about the 4-month delay in communicating the denial. Somehow it's the fact that nobody could be bothered to tell us that we had been denied the bonus that really rankles.

Thanks for the encouragement! I keep being reminded of my mother's college, that used to give out frozen turkeys to the faculty every Christmas. Someone complained that giving out a gift that small was "patronizing and insulting." (Boy, I wouldn't complain about a free turkey as a bonus. But getting it home on the train would be interesting.) So now they don't get anything.

[Clara Bow]

Small??! Do you know what a whole turkey can cost?? Not always easy to afford or even find for that Christmas dinner.....

[HushHush]

A family friend has worked for a large cable company who used to give out free turkeys for Christmas to all their employees.  That is, until one quit shortly after and left his turkey in his work truck but didn't tell anyone.  Three months later when the truck is now needed for a new trainee, this nasty, foul carcass is discovered. 

They don't get turkeys anymore either.

Charlotte

[EveLGenius]

Mom figured that the complainer had just learned the phrase "Sweets to the sweet."

[Twik]

Mom figured that the complainer had just learned the phrase "Sweets to the sweet."

You know, it took me a second to figure that one out. Yes, it was appropriate for someone who lost the rest of the staff their bonus....

[willow08]

Well, I'm going to talk to my supervisor (his name was on the paper too, and no, he didn't get the bonus either) about putting a request in writing to HR for a list of "approved" journals. That may or may not fly, depending on whether or not my supervisor wants to rock the boat any more. However, the more I think about it, the more I think I'll talk to the HR person about the 4-month delay in communicating the denial. Somehow it's the fact that nobody could be bothered to tell us that we had been denied the bonus that really rankles.

I think you're on the right track here. Absolutely talk to your supervisor about this.  He may be able to talk to the director or HR for you. If he cannot, it's very reasonable for you to ask for a list of approved journals, if such a list exists. It will prevent this confusion in the future and if no list exists, it will definitely help your argument. I also thnk you have a reasonable argument about the four-month delay in notifiying you. It sounds like they ran out of money at the end of the year and started cutting bonuses.

[willow08]

A family friend has worked for a large cable company who used to give out free turkeys for Christmas to all their employees.  That is, until one quit shortly after and left his turkey in his work truck but didn't tell anyone.  Three months later when the truck is now needed for a new trainee, this nasty, foul carcass is discovered.