fbpx

Should people expect a cost of living increase annually??

Home Forums Miscellany Community Should people expect a cost of living increase annually??

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 60 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #527018

    This is just a question I had because I was just told that unless you are a TOP PERFORMER you won’t get any raise of any sort or it will be something like $0.25. Is this normal? My company does not believe in cost of living increases and we are being paid about 15K less than the median salary in Austin, TX. I know it’s time to move on but I wanted to see how unusual this is.

    “But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work jut hard enough not to get fired.” – Office Space (Lack of raises in my case)

    I tell ya what- it just takes the fire out of you to do you job with any sort of urgency or consideration when a manager tells you “you’re getting paid less than most other people make in this city AND you will not see any raises- this company doesn’t believe in it”

    #489253

    #527019
    Skigod377
    Participant

      Inflation is part of life and employers need to realize it. I was just talking about this the other day. The military gets annual raises. Whenever we get a raise, or when our allowance for housing goes up, the rent in the surrounding areas goes up, and so do all the prices at the grocery store. the only thing that cant seem to keep up with the economy is minimum wage! If you are working for someone that does not understand the economy, you really should find an employer who does. This inflation crap is ridiculous.

      #527020

      Gawd- makes me wish I was in the military sometimes 🙁

      #527021
      Maria
      Participant

        Keep in mind your employer would be trillions into a debt that’s never going to be paid back and will sooner or later cause the entire economy to crash.

        #527022
        Patricia
        Participant

          I understand completely. I’m running into some of the same problems with my job. I work at a small company and raises are once a year and I’ve heard that they can be pretty pathetic sometimes. I personally think it is rediculous.

          While hiding somewhere in my head I'm on the lookout for white oriental dragons! Please let me know if you know of any available. Thank you!

          #527023

          Greater Basilisk wrote:

          Keep in mind your employer would be trillions into a debt that’s never going to be paid back and will sooner or later cause the entire economy to crash.

          What?

          #527024
          Skigod377
          Participant

            CherylKaufman wrote:

            Greater Basilisk wrote:

            Keep in mind your employer would be trillions into a debt that’s never going to be paid back and will sooner or later cause the entire economy to crash.

            What?

            If you were in the Army… Cuz the economy is crap right now… and only getting worse… and the government would be your employer. But hey! You would get at least 2 raises a year, and one clothing allowance.

            #527025
            Laurie
            Participant

              I love my job since we have a union that negotiates our contracts. Every year you go up a step on the pay scale and our union usually gets us a bigger raise every year or two. When I used to work at the hospital they once gave me a 5 cent raise! I told them they should have just told me “sorry we can’t afford to give raises this year”. I mean come on 5 cents its like a slap in the face!

              #527026

              purpledoggy wrote:

              I love my job since we have a union that negotiates our contracts. Every year you go up a step on the pay scale and our union usually gets us a bigger raise every year or two. When I used to work at the hospital they once gave me a 5 cent raise! I told them they should have just told me “sorry we can’t afford to give raises this year”. I mean come on 5 cents its like a slap in the face!

              Ahhh, unions. Texas is a “At Will” work state so we don’t have the benefit of potent unions because we (employees) can leave and they (employers) can fire us at will. No job security whatsoever. I would LOVE to be able to reliably get a raise but this is the only company I’ve worked for since graduating college so I don’t know what’s out there or even what I am qualified for.

              #527027
              Laurie
              Participant

                Well mine is a government job (fire department) so I don’t know if that makes any differnece. I know Maryland is a right to work state, at least I think thats what they call it. My husband was fired because of his illness but the lawyer told us as long as they didn’t come right out and say “we fired you because of your illness” there was nothing we could do. You have the right to work and employers have the right to fire you for no reason. I have been at jobs where they wouldn’t give you a raise. It was pretty much if you want more money and can’t live off what we give you go get another job somewhere else.

                #527028

                purpledoggy wrote:

                I have been at jobs where they wouldn’t give you a raise. It was pretty much if you want more money and can’t live off what we give you go get another job somewhere else.

                Yep, that is most like what I was told this morning- he wasn’t malicious about it, just honest I guess.

                #527029
                .
                Participant

                  Cheryl, you problem is not uncommon. Many employers don’t see a need to give their employees a raise, but won’t mind upping their prices for goods and services so that their own bottomline doesn’t suffer. As far as businesses like that are concerned you are a commodity and easily replaceable.

                  But, here is the rub. Over time, working at a job for several years, employers find that they can’t hire new employees for the same rate that they originally brought you in at. So, they offer a little bit more every year or so. Over several years, it means the gap in pay between a new hire and employees who have been at the company over time drops. It happened at one of my jobs a long time ago. After 3 and half years, I found out that I was only making $1.25 more than an inexperienced new hire because they just couldn’t get good people for less. At the same time their “raises” were like .25 to .50 annually.

                  Your best bet is to look around and see what is available. If the market is good, then go to another company or ask your employer to match what a new company would bring you on at. If they refuse, then get a new job and give your two weeks notice. You need to find a job that values you, because being at one that doesn’t can wear you down over time.

                  *Jumps off soapbox* My $1.05 worth. 😀

                  #527030

                  In my other group they did that- hired a girl on in Oct and she worked there for a few months then gave her a small raise and jumped the pay on the new hires for the following year to where they were far exceeding what she was being paid at- even though she’d been here for a year.

                  I know people at Dell will quit Dell and go through the “new hire” process in order to get an equivalent salary- personally I think that is a little superfluous for a company to do, may as well pay the new people less than the established people in order to keep the established, tried-and-true people with the company. You would expect they would want to keep people around but it doesn’t appear that, at least in my place, they care at all about that.

                  I guess a part of me is just so ashamed I’ve been so naive and gone through SO MUCH HELL at this company and now I just realize how truly shitty they are to their employees and any good thing that was given had it’s price? I.E.- they moved me from my other department because my manager was an HR nightmare and I was the one who turned her in. They kept my same grade of pay while paying her people 2.5-5k more than any salary I ever saw. They all got FAT raises and I did not- I got $0 because at review time the manager crucified me (with no backing mind you) and said I was a poor performer. After I indicated I felt the review was retaliatory and she had no proof of ANYTHING she said and in fac tI had emails FROM HER saying what a good job I was doing I couldn’t HELP but think my review was tainted by her dislike at being reported to HR. Ya, so bottom line- I still got no raise and only a lateral move which, as it turns out, will result in no raise whatsoever. Joy.

                  Silver, honest to God thank you for your take on this, it’s definitely a more mature view on companies than my idealistic view that they actually are interested in your personal/professional growth and offer no consideration unless your eally ARE the best and they care about keeping you.

                  #527031
                  frozendragon
                  Participant

                    CherylKaufman wrote:

                    purpledoggy wrote:

                    I love my job since we have a union that negotiates our contracts. Every year you go up a step on the pay scale and our union usually gets us a bigger raise every year or two. When I used to work at the hospital they once gave me a 5 cent raise! I told them they should have just told me “sorry we can’t afford to give raises this year”. I mean come on 5 cents its like a slap in the face!

                    Ahhh, unions. Texas is a “At Will” work state so we don’t have the benefit of potent unions because we (employees) can leave and they (employers) can fire us at will. No job security whatsoever. I would LOVE to be able to reliably get a raise but this is the only company I’ve worked for since graduating college so I don’t know what’s out there or even what I am qualified for.

                    as far as I know most employers in Texas don’t give any kind of cost of living raises either…

                    I know here…you can get a raise every year depending on the company…but it’s usually not even the 0.25/hr more like 0.04-0.10

                    and compared to a lot of other places cost of living in Amarillo is higher…

                    and job opportunity is lower..

                  Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 60 total)
                  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.