'They're showing us their contempt': Bosses cut employee bonuses by 90% without warning, claim it reflects the quality of their work

Bonuses are not an incredibly reliable way to make income. They should be like extra credit. You don't need it to survive, but it's nice when you get it. It's a way for employers to show a little extra recognition to their employees. It becomes a problem, then, when employers set up a pattern of bonuses, especially if they're significant. Employees then come to expect that money and start planning their lives around it, as well they should if it's a major part of their yearly salary. But this is where it gets dicey. Since it's a bonus, employers can revoke that money any time they feel like it, and you have no real recourse to get it back or demand an explanation.

That's what happened in this situation when a group of workers were surprised by the small amount that hit their direct deposit. At first, they were scrambling to figure out what that money was, but when they learned the truth, many of them started looking for new jobs.

Commenters, though, had a range of explanations for why this company would pull the rug in such a way. Some saw it as yet another example of corporate greed while others saw even more nefarious motives. Read on for the story and see what you think.
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My husband's boss cut the entire department's annual bonuses by 80-90% without warning anybody.

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The worker sought refuge in an online community of workers who offered advice on what to do.

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