'They actually make money of the bonus they provide': Large company doles out $11,000 bonuses to three supervisors, gives warehouse workers a 15% in-store discount

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jan 4, 2025 3:00 PM EST

A holiday bonus can be a tricky thing. You want to show appreciation to your cohorts, but you have to make sure that it comes across fairly to everyone. Sure, nobody expects the C-suite folks to get the same amount as the custodial staff, but wouldn't that actually be nice? Don't those workers need that money a little bit more? In any case, bonuses can be an opportunity for some resentment to arise in the workplace, especially if you get to discussing what everyone received while hanging out in the break room. You want to feel valued and seen at work, and money is the number one way employers can show that, it's that simple. 

In this story, though, one worker was not so lucky as to be fairly appreciated by their employer. In fact, their Christmas bonus felt more like a slap in the face than it did a genuine gesture of thanks. 

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  • On behalf of their husband, one worker set the scene for an unfortunate tale of Christmas bonuses. This example is particularly egregious when it comes to comparing and contrasting. One was an exceptionally generous bonus, while the other was an opportunity to give more money to their employer. Read on for the story and decide what you think. 

  • 01

    This warehouse worker was surprised to find that his Christmas bonus paled in comparison to his supervisor's.

    Cheezburger Image 10449938432
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Husband found out what his supervisors got as a Christmas bonus
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 03
    My husband works at a globally known company, not gonna say the name but they always talk about having low prices.
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 04
    Well he works in one of the warehouse consolidation centers and works 10 hr shifts with 2 15 min breaks packing trucks. The supervisors do practically nothing besides closing out thr trucks the people are working on. The rest of their day is spent in their little office facetiming or watching sh on their phones.
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 05
    This year for my husband's "Christmas Bonus" he received a one time 15% off in store discount. It expires Jan. 3rd. While at work tonight though he was talking to a co-worker and found out his supervisors, of which there are 3, EACH received an $11,000 bonus!!! My husband thought he misheard at first and the co-worker said $1,100 but no $11,000!
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 06
    Are you kidding me??? He gets $20/hr working his a ; off for a company, packing THEIR trucks, to make sure THEY can make money, and they seem to think his work is only worth a 15% discount while his supervisors get $11,000 to do nothing???? How does that make sense????
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 07
    Edit: I never expected this to blow up quite this way so I'd like to address a few things I've seen. First off, I don't hold any resentment or ill will towards the supervisors themselves. My husband is friends with them and as such knows that each of them are good people. My blame lies soundly with the corporation, and the disparity in rewards vs work for workers and supervisors.
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 08
    Secondly, my husband was non- formally offered a supervisor position before he learned of the bonus. It came after he had been working a little over 2 months there. He wasnt even out of the probationary period yet. Even with that information thoug, he most likely would not take the offer, not
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 09
    bc of the money but bc of the fact he would not be able to just put his nose down for the benefit of the company. He would be up in the uppers faces demanding better for the workers and would most likely get canned for it. He knows himself enough to know not to put himself in that position.
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 10
    Thirdly, I have put forward the idea to him about unionizing as so many of you have mentioned. While I doubt Wally world is ever going to allow a union is besides the point that things need to change. He is going to talk to a few trusted co-workers today. I am going to pull together information to give him as well.
    via u/Impossible_Sugar_644
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10449938688
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12

    They appealed to other workers to weigh in on if they thought this was fair, and unsurprisingly, they were sympathetic.

    Uookhier 14h ago 15% store discount... I bet their profit margins are over 15%. So they actually make money of the 'bonus' they provide...
    via u/Uookhier
  • 13
    kr4ckenm3fortu... 14h ago. Unionize. Also, don't do more than what you're suppose to do. Also, 15 minute break starts once you stop work, and this include walking to the break room.
    via u/kr4ckenm3fortune
  • 14
    I've started my break by going on my personal phone, and when people ask, I'm on break. This is my personal phone. My timer say I have about 5 minutes left, but I gotta pause it because you're interrupting my break.
    via u/kr4ckenm3fortune
  • 15
    samound143 12h ago • • This level of awareness! 100 Absolutely right about everything - especially the break timing and phone boundaries. Management always tries to squeeze those extra minutes but breaks are legally protected time. And yeah, unionizing is exactly how warehouse workers have gotten better deals at other companies. Stand your ground and don't let them exploit the "team player" guilt trip.
    via u/samound143
  • 16
    ezDuke • 15h ago Unions are the only solution
    via u/ezDuke
  • 17
    dcanderson4247 · 10h ago Your employer would pay you $1/hr if it was legal
    via u/dcanderson4247
  • 18
    July_snow-shov... • 14h ago How else do you think they can scrape up the $33k to pay those bonuses? By not giving ANY bonuses to your husband and his coworkers and enticing them to give some of their paycheck back to the store.
    via u/July_snow-shoveler
  • 19
    mrabraham • 12h ago . I used to hate receiving "secret bonuses" when I was manager for T-Mobile/Sprint. I was told not to disclose them to employers yet I worked side by side with them. This was during the exploding Samsung saga. Everybody was stressed out to the max.
    via u/mrabraham
  • 20
    So when I saw that email first thing I did was tell my employees we got a bonus to enjoy however they want so they voted to go to some pizza place nearby. Got everyone what they wanted to eat and two drinks. I left early
    via u/mrabraham
  • 21
    so they could enjoy time without their awkward boss and I gave them the rest of the bonus cash. So they could party it up and get an Uber or split the cash and leave. I made it clear it was their money and could do whatever they want with it.
    via u/mrabraham
  • 22
    I tried to make a difference as a manager in those days but I was not very tactful playing the game with c suite people. But I've made those adjustments. What's funny is that employees don't know how hard I'll advocate for
    via u/mrabraham
  • 23
    them if I see injustice. I've been in the hospital for awhile now and I was able to get a liver transplant. I was floored by the number of employees that showed up to wish me well. I cried with happiness
    via u/mrabraham
  • 24
    when they left and I'm glad I had that impact on them. Makes all the cr p I put up with and shielded them from it because I knew my job was to facilitate my employees. and make their job easier worth it. Once I'm off disability I plan. to enter the workforce again in leadership and really dedicate my life to helping. those in need.
    via u/mrabraham
  • 25
    Pythia007 • 13h ago • They pay his supervisors to stomp on anyone and everyone who questions sh like this. Time for a revolution baby
    via u/Pythia007
  • 26
    WomanInQuestion • 11h ago . "Your Christmas bonus is to give part of your paycheck back to your employer!"
    via u/WomanInQuestion
  • 27
    rob1nmann 10h ago . I got 8.33% (eq. of 1 month salary) bonus every year. It's the same % for everyone. From cleaners to CEO. No exceptions. It's most fair imho.
    via u/rob1nmann
  • 28
    • sacmayor 9h ago. I manage day to day operations of a family owned company. I'm in charge of everything from the customers to facility maintenance to employees. I still work two part time jobs on the weekend to make ends
    via u/sacmayor
  • 29
    meet. One of them, a restaurant, I eat for free at because I am also good. friends with the owner. Well, for my Christmas bonus, the owner of my main job gave me a $25 gift card to the restaurant I work at and said, "I know you already eat for
    via u/sacmayor
  • 30
    free there so maybe you could give it to someone else." He then proceeded to sit down in my office and tell me about his upcoming trip to the DR with his family that he dropped nearly $10k on. I just stared at him blankly. 13 years I've been there. Smh
    via u/sacmayor

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