Possibly the biggest complaint about employment in the United States these days is that living expenses have spent decades rising rapidly while wages among the lower and formerly middle class have not even remotely kept up.
This seems to be true for both starting salaries and raises — when the latter exists at all.
A frustrated employee who has recently been taking on the responsibilities of two roles at his company called this issue to attention in the antiwork subreddit recently after he was informed that there was just no money to give him a raise this year.
u/ubermick posted the full email he received from his employer, with identifying information redacted. It is filled with nothing but praise for his work, his willingness to step up, and how “integral” he is to the company. They acknowledge his “consistently top-notch designs” and insinuate that the entire leadership team is thrilled with everything he has contributed in the past year.
They specified that they would like him to continue with these extra responsibilities, for which he did not receive commensurate compensation, and in fact, take on even more.
And then they pulled the pandemic card.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected businesses the world over, and ours was no exception,” they wrote. “
As a result, there are currently insufficient funds in the FY2023 budget for staff salary increases or bonuses. While we understand that this may come as a disappointment, we know not every reward is financial, and that you’ll continue to find the work here fulfilling and allows you to grow personally and professionally.”
Unfortunately for the employer, part of the Redditor’s work included putting together the annual report for the company. That means he is fully aware that “the entire leadership team awarded themselves a 10% salary increase as well as an ‘unspecified’ bonus pool, which was taken from undesignated funds,” which he informed them of in a response email also shared to the subreddit.
He also pointed out that despite claiming COVID woes, as so many corporations continue to do despite proof to the contrary, the company’s revenue was higher than it’s been in several years.
“Were you as committed to staff in the same way that staff has been towards keeping us going, I’m sure the leadership would have at least forgone their bonuses, and the finance committee found better venues for the upcoming published board meetings,” he wrote.
No word yet on whether the Redditor’s boss is reconsidering the disgraceful decision not to compensate a valued employee fairly while leadership takes more for themselves, but he at least had people on the internet to commiserate while he waits for word.