'We weren't doing the $25,000 when you hit 25 years': CEO gifts employees $25K for working 25 years, but employee going on 27 years there gets nothing

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
May 20, 2023 8:00 AM EDT

Talk about a slap in the face! This employee has been working at the company for literally 27 years, but at a recent company meeting, his CEO announced that two of his coworkers would each be getting a $25,000 bonus for hitting a "milestone" of 25 years at the company. Meanwhile, what this employee got when he hit 25 years was just a plaque. A plaque is nice, but it won't help your family, and it certainly won't make you feel validated the way a $25K bonus would. 

When the Redditor brought up the issue to the CEO, she simply said that this policy didn't exist back when OP reached the same milestone. Now that the Redditor has decided to pursue the matter further and schedule a one-on-one meeting with the CEO, he turned to Reddit for advice and feedback. Keep scrolling below to see what folks had to say in the comments. For more stories like this, check out this post about an employee's denied PTO request. 

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  • 01
    Table
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  • 02
    Font - 25 years = $25,000 bonus... but not for me So we recently had a company meeting where our CEO announced that 2 employees that have been working for 25 years will be receiving a $25,000 bonus.. But I've been working here 27 years and all I got when I had 25 years was a plaque. I brought this up to the CEO and she said that "we weren't doing the $25,000 when you hit 25 years." One of the people who received that bonus check today has been working here 26 years.
    via u/virgogod
  • 03
    Font - I know my worth. I know that without me, this company would not be working. I take shorter lunches to help customers, and I've been working here the longest. I don't want to beg for money, but my god, that $25k would help me and my family out so much.
    via u/virgogod
  • 04
    Font - I want to meet with the CEO and discuss this in person. How should I approach this?? TLDR: They just announced employees that have worked 25 yrs get a $25k bonus, I've been working 27 and didn't get anything. What do I do??
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  • 05
    Font - sold_myfortune. 10 hr. ago Simple answer: they played favorites. Nothing complicated about it. 2.6k Reply Share
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  • 06
    Font - jdb888 12 hr. ago If the CEO is meeting you to discuss you are halfway there. Just frame it as a bringing a mistake to his attention that it not corrected will devastate morale and lead to an exodus of top talent and experience to the competition. 1.2k Reply Share
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  • 07
    Font - Northern Mamma 11 hr. ago How many of you have been there for 25+ years? This is rotten. 167 Reply Share
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  • 08
    Human body - cropguru3575 hr. ago You should get $27,000, obviously.
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  • 09
    Font - MrNothingmann - 5 hr. ago What a poorly designed bonus system. Anyone who is there 25+ years and didn't receive such a bonus should have been considered. If the CEO announced this, how could they not expect all of the >25 year team to ask about their bonus? Your CEO sounds like a real Michael Scott. In real life, Michael Scotts aren't funny.
    via u/virgogod
  • 10
    Rectangle - SomaliYacht 12 hr. ago Don't help the company with anything but minimum effort for only your job tasks
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  • 11
    Font - Future-Instruction51. 11 hr. ago This seems so unfair. I hope they give you the same $25k bonus.
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  • 12
    Font - exiledfromreality. 6 hr. ago Call them out on it loudly and publicly. They rewarded their friends, but they won't reward their minions.
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  • 13
    Font - NAH WeMissJeff 5 hr. ago . Only here to say stop taking shorter lunches. I know you think you're "helping" by doing that, by in some states it's a labor law thing that requires you take a certain length of time for your lunch. It all depends on state and length of shift and a few other factors. But, bottom line... stop.
    via u/virgogod
  • 14
    Font - UnusualDoctor - 3 hr. ago I used to be you. My former employer told me this when I brought up the 70+ hour weeks I was putting in to keep things running: "I never asked you to do that"
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  • 15
    Font - So I stopped doing anything. I started looking for another job right away. I did the absolute miminum. I told my staff do to the absolute minimum. I left about five months later to a different industry, slightly more money and zero stress. I suggest you do the same.
    via u/virgogod
  • 16
    Font - ccgrendel 3 hr. ago Request a meeting with HR and the CEO and make him clarify how exactly you're not eligible. It's easy to say no when there are no witnesses. If there are additional employees over 25 years who were neglected, include them in the meeting - they will appreciate you being an advocate. Assuming this was a clerical error and funds are not immediately available,
    via u/virgogod
  • 17
    Font - allow a reasonable amount of time to be paid, 2-3 months but get in IN WRITING this is owed to you even if you are terminated in the interim. Involving HR is 2-fold, if CEO is going against the stated policy, they will want to know, and the oversight likely originated in HR, and they will be motivated to correct their mistake.
    via u/virgogod
  • 18
    Font - Side note, if you worked 10 years, left, came back, and put in another 17 years, you may not be eligible. Just verify beforehand that you have 27 continuous years of service. If you worked for a company that was absorbed by your current company, their records may not have been updated correctly, but if you were worthy of retention then, you're worthy of a payout now. Over the years, you have saved them potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in onboarding costs for new employees.
    via u/virgogod
  • 19
    As for recording, most states do not allow for a recorder to be placed in a room and the user to walk away. You can't leave the room and record if they're talking I when you're out of the room. Some states do allow for ONE person to be aware of the device, which could be you. You just have to take it with you when you leave. Lastly are the states that require consent from all parties.
    via u/virgogod
  • 20
    Font - So if you're thinking of recording conversations, just be sure you know the laws in your state. The amount of money is large enough that I would still ask to record even if all parties need to give consent. That will also signal to HR and CEO your next step is a lawyer, and they'll be motivated to find an amicable solution.
    via u/virgogod

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