Employer giving cost of living voucher

UsBus

Employer has just announced they are giving out a cost of living voucher - but not to all employees.

Basically from operator level up to support level will get it. Everyone higher not entitled. What a way to divide a company. Great way to start the new year, but here send us another communication about inclusion and culture in the workplace, that'll pay the bills...

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058279719/employer-giving-cost-of-living-voucher

You don’t think a divide exists already between the lower paid and management?

Sounds like a descent thing to do, giving lower paid employees vouchers.

zell12

That's a fantastic progressive employer. Plus benefit from tax-free vouchers

moceri

Bills are all the same whether you are on low or high pay. It makes sense that lower paid will struggle harder and get this assistance.

UsBus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110913#Comment_120110913

I would agree management could survive without it. Except I ain't management, nowhere close to it. Am a few levels below it. People getting this are probably very close to what I'm on. Once again, the people in the middle get squeezed. It's an embarrassing decision by the company that will inevitably backfire. They've already communicated that they aren't doing the best.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110992#Comment_120110992

How are you getting squeezed?

Are they taking money off you?

What they pay others in the company is none of your business.

squidgainz

Good way to root out the moany bollixes up at the higher levels!

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110992#Comment_120110992

Maybe they are telling you something.

MarkR

Ask for an increase yourself. And if they say no, decide on whether it's time to start updating your CV.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110941#Comment_120110941

Nope.

When you get made redundant, vouchers ain't counted in your salary for the payout calc.

Count Dracula

Its gas how animated people get over someone else getting paid.

some really sad chunts out there.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120112417#Comment_120112417

Yes, that is the most important consideration.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058279719/employer-giving-cost-of-living-voucher

Has your company some how made a large profit out of this recessionary period that you thing it should carry the impact of the general economic down turn on you or have you made a significant contribution over and above what was expected that might justify the claim?

In a recessionary period people on low salaries are going to be the ones be hit the hardest, so it makes perfect sense to spend what you can on their salaries rather than watering down by spreading over the whole company where it will have no impact on the lives of anyone. Good decision as far as I'm concerned.

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120115184#Comment_120115184

Since when has Ireland been in a recession?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120115243#Comment_120115243

We’re not in full blown recession. However our economy (as did many others) took a bad hit during covid. We borrowed a lot of money to tide us over.

There’s long been talk about a crash in the market and a worldwide recession soon™️.

OP, would you be complaining if the vouchers had been given to people up to your level and not beyond?

Secondly, have you considered asking for lower pay so you'd qualify for the voucher? NO?

OP don’t be a crybaby you’re acting like that kid at a bday party who’s pissed he didn’t get any presents. if it’s that upsetting to you find a new job.

daheff

OP - i tend to agree with you. Its a nice gesture for the company to make to people. Its not a nice gesture that they split the company into the upper class and lower class. Over time this just breeds resentment and a 'them and us' split in the workforce.

I understand where people are saying that those on lower wages will be hardest hit. Absolutely. But everybody gets hit.

During covid my (ex)company decided to pay the WFH allowance to some, but not all, of the staff. Refused to pay it for the finance/marketing staff, some of which (juniors) were earning similar to those getting the allowance. Funnily enough when times changed a number of finance/marketing people walked. Still a divided workforce from what I hear.

Seth Brundle

The company is never going to win this one as far as the OP is concerned.

If they were to provide everyone with the voucher to everyone then there would be compaints from the lower paid that the better paid shouldn't be getting it.

If they were to give everyone below a certain pay grade the voucher, then some people would compain that their salary is effectively being revealed by giving them the voucher.

So what exactly is the company to do?

IMO, the company did a nice thing and if people become think they are being treated unfairly then change company. The OP is assuming that those that got it are earning as much as them when they say this: "People getting this are probably very close to what I'm on." but all this reveals is that the OP hasn't a clue what those colleagues are earning.

As for the "Once again, the people in the middle get squeezed" bit - I'm making the assumption that the OP was content (as one can be) with their salary prior to management making this gesture. So how exactly is the Op being squeezed by the company? Self-absorbed crap!

raheny red

The very same happened in Paddy Power retail recently. They want to cause a divide and push the more experienced staff out the door. Save on the redundancies which will be more common in the coming years. The lower paid staff who've been "rewarded" with these vouchers will then replace the better paid staff.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110946#Comment_120110946

very easy to say and be correct in a very trivial manner. but if you think the better paid struggle to pay their bills in the same way as the lowest paid, you must be very sheltered.

a corollary - a friend's father was asked to join the board of a company, and one of the things he instituted was that because the company's business was both seasonal and subject to the vagaries of the economy (what company isn't, i guess?) was that the payroll was paid to the lowest paid employees first; and it was the higher ups who were the ones at risk of not getting paid if the cash flow wasn't there. his attitude was since they're one ones who benefit most when the company does well, they should also bear the brunt if they were not doing well. i doubt that policy has survived.

bucketybuck

OP complains about the "squeezed middle", but logic says that nobody above the OP's level is getting this voucher either so there is no middle. Or does he not actually give a shite about the higher ups who also missed out here, only himself?

If they can't afford to give it to everybody, then giving it to the lowest paid doesn't seem the worst idea to me.

rebelwithcause

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120112417#Comment_120112417

Yes, but only €600 gross pay per week is allowable anyway, so won't makemuch difference, or any for people earning over €31,200 per year.

Buddy Bubs

They have given low paid employees a bump here, fair play to them.

I did the same on 1st January with wage increases especially for lower paid. The lads and lassies on higher money arent getting cost of living increases, they may get productivity/responsibility increases and promotions in the future but not because their groceries are 10% higher.

Renumeration is the main driver for most employees and that's generally linked to your responsibilities, experience and education level. If you are at the cutoff point for the cost of living voucher there is a good chance that somebody with less responsibilities or experience now has similar take home as you. Personally I don't think I would be putting in the same effort as before until the company rectified the issue as the cost of living has increased for everybody across the board. While those on higher wages can absorb the increases more easily I don't think its the companies place to determine who can afford the increase in costs.

I think some companies know that in low paying positions they are competing with social welfare and need to do more with the retain staff at these levels to ensure they can continue operating, but they are doing it as cost effectively as possible by not offering an increase across the board and by offering vouchers so they can be removed in the future with little fuss when there is more availability of low cost labor.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119860#Comment_120119860

Only I'd the redundancy is based on statutory alone.

I love the naivety of people thinking the cost of living won't be higher next year too.

Victor

Perhaps make a case that certain other categories be included?

daheff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120121083#Comment_120121083

thats the thinking behind these vouchers. A number of banks did it too. The voucher is to help this year as a once off and not that the cost becomes and ongoing one for the company....which has a knock on effect onto their costs.....which need to be passed on.....leading to secondary inflation.

the hope is a once off cost can be absorbed by the company and things go back to the way they were before hand.

rebelwithcause

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120121083#Comment_120121083

Yes, of course only of it's statutory redundancy. If it's not statutory they can apply any rules they want, so your point is moot.

The DayDream

Well my employer fired me right before Christmas for no good reason, and because I wasn't on the dole for long enough I got none of the bonuses that people on here whine about.

But yeah, you have a hard life OP. Sucks to be you.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120121129#Comment_120121129

You think prices are going to go down again this year? Yeah .... right.