Do you get a Christmas gift or bonus from your employer?

[basil]

Last year our department gave us fleece jackets with the logo on them, and we had a holiday party at a restaurant with drink tickets. The year prior (before I was there) it was open bar.

This year, due to cutbacks, our holiday party is a potluck in the conference room. Dunno if we''ll get a gift or not.

 

[Dreamgirl]

Well, since I am new here I haven''t a clue. But I do know that the economy is bad and they are trying to save money so probably not this year if they ever have before.

 

[Clio]

No holiday bonus for me. Because I was hired in the fall, though, my annual review comes every October, and my review bonus comes in November or early December. So it''s at holiday time but not a holiday bonus.

Because I work for the government, the agency doesn''t (can''t) pay for a holiday party. The employees take up donations and bring in dishes to share. We do get time off for the party and get sent home right after, which is nice.

My sister''s company, though, is a government contractor, and they throw a lavish holiday party every year with an open bar and great food (I get to be her "date" and we have a great time). I guess that''s the difference between the public and private sectors! Any social event my agency wants to host (such as the reception after our big annual lecture) has to be paid for with privately raised money.

 

[Dreamgirl]

Date: 12/2/2008 5:24:56 PM
Author: Clio
Because I work for the government

FF is trying to get a job with the government. Public Administration. Sure does take a long time.....

 

[radiantquest]

i started working there in april so i am not sure, but i dont think that we get anything

 

[joflier]

$100

 

[MoonWater]

Yes, we get bonuses and usually a small gift such as a gift card to Starbucks.

 

[icekid]

my hubby (as a consultant): He gets his yearly bonus in October, which is like 3% of his yearly salary or something like that so it is fairly significant. Nothing right around the holidays though.

me (as a medicine intern)- I get an extra 2.5 days off of work buuuuut then I have to do extra work the following week, the big cardiology group buys all of the interns a new stethoscope (which are not inexpensive!), and we have two big parties! One with all of the attending docs at a fancy museum, and then the fun one just for the residents. Food and alcohol included; we don''t have to pay thankfully.

 

[meresal]

I work for a bank, and they do annual bonuses for managers and up, and usually merit raises, apprx 2-3%, I believe. However, this year, those of us left will just enjoy the fact that we still have a job.

No bonuses and no merit raises, company wide.

 

[Clio]

Date: 12/2/2008 5:26:07 PM
Author: Dreamgirl
FF is trying to get a job with the government. Public Administration. Sure does take a long time.....

It''s horrible. When I was hired, it was five months before I got a call for an interview, and when my husband was hired by the Navy, it was six months. At my agency, we''ve lost good candidates because they took other positions before we got around to interviewing them. The byzantine hiring process is one of the worst things about government work, and it does a disservice both to talented applicants who want to go into public service and to the agencies who want to hire them.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

As a boss I do give my employees a bonus...our company policy is a bonus equal to two weeks salary, or highest commission, which ever equals more. In addition, I also gift my employees gift cards to places that I *know* they go....like Starbucks, of Caribou, or lunch places.

I also get a bonus...same policy.

 

[Erin]

Two days off for Christmas. Two days off for New Years. I usually take the three days off in between as vacation and end of getting 9 - 11 days straight.
Christmas party is for managers only. At least I''m dating one so I''ll go

A $50 GC from Sears - one of our biggest customers - but my company pays for it.

Eh, that''s it.
I work for the four executives and they most times give me the crap they don''t want that people send them

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Ummm...no I don''t get one. Our company got bought out my a bigger company. It have been here a year now and I had to ASK for my three month review. I also think that they are not really going to give us much for our Christmas. Last year me and the other girl that works for our company (we are off site) got a box of crappy chocolates to share.

I doubt we will get anything.

 

[Rhea]

Date: 12/2/2008 4:11:58 PM
Author: gwendolyn
Out of curiosity, these Christmas parties your employers throw, they're free, right? Just asking, because the one my work throws is £33/$50 per person, not including drinks.

No, it's not totally free. The party is at a local pub from about 2pm - whenever. We get paid for that time since it's a work day and are expected to be there. The company decides on an amount that it is comfortable spending per head. This year it's £15. The price of the set meal at the pub is £19.95 plus whatever we each drink. Usually a collection is taken up for drinks but this year they decided against it.

I have mixed feelings because 1- the set menu for vegetarians is horrible, 2- the minimum anyone is going to get away with paying is £10 on top of what the employer pays (could easily be more depending on what you drink)...to hang out with co-workers we don't necessarily get along with outside of work. But I do understand that the party is held during work hours so that time is paid and it is nice that they do something for the holiday. I think it'd be worse if it were ignored all together.

Your party is too expensive, Gwen. £10-15 is fine when drinks are included, but anything over that is just too much.

 

[AmberWaves]

I usually get a gift from my boss (I''ve known her/them since I was 12, used to baby sit their children) and a $1,000.00 bonus. It was only in the last few years (Been here 9) that I''ve gotten this 1k bonus, before that it was $500.00 which was also nice. There are only five of us here, so no company parties. My husband is a teacher, and I get all the goodies the students give him, but sometimes I wish I''d get the vacation he gets!

 

[EricaR]

We have a strict "no gifts" policies from management down and from employees up which I always follow, but the suck-ups always give managment gifts and get praised for it.

Our holiday party happens in January (cheaper for the company). It is free for employees but we pay $35 to bring a "date". No alcohol included. The party is thrown at a local hotel with, well, less than decent food so we usually skip going.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 12/3/2008 12:47:47 PM
Author: Addy

Date: 12/2/2008 4:11:58 PM

Author: gwendolyn

Out of curiosity, these Christmas parties your employers throw, they''re free, right? Just asking, because the one my work throws is £33/$50 per person, not including drinks.

No, it''s not totally free. The party is at a local pub from about 2pm - whenever. We get paid for that time since it''s a work day and are expected to be there. The company decides on an amount that it is comfortable spending per head. This year it''s £15. The price of the set meal at the pub is £19.95 plus whatever we each drink. Usually a collection is taken up for drinks but this year they decided against it.


I have mixed feelings because 1- the set menu for vegetarians is horrible, 2- the minimum anyone is going to get away with paying is £10 on top of what the employer pays (could easily be more depending on what you drink)...to hang out with co-workers we don''t necessarily get along with outside of work. But I do understand that the party is held during work hours so that time is paid and it is nice that they do something for the holiday. I think it''d be worse if it were ignored all together.


Your party is too expensive, Gwen. £10-15 is fine when drinks are included, but anything over that is just too much.

I know, that''s why I''m not going. I''m sure it''ll be fun, but £33pp fun? Seriously doubt it.

Yeah, I can understand your mixed feelings about it. If I was paid to be there, I''d want to go too, although I might feel slightly odd about having to pay too. Dunno. Is it usually an ok time?

 

[Rhea]

Date: 12/3/2008 2:17:56 PM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 12/3/2008 12:47:47 PM

Author: Addy

Date: 12/2/2008 4:11:58 PM


Author: gwendolyn


Out of curiosity, these Christmas parties your employers throw, they''re free, right? Just asking, because the one my work throws is £33/$50 per person, not including drinks.

No, it''s not totally free. The party is at a local pub from about 2pm - whenever. We get paid for that time since it''s a work day and are expected to be there. The company decides on an amount that it is comfortable spending per head. This year it''s £15. The price of the set meal at the pub is £19.95 plus whatever we each drink. Usually a collection is taken up for drinks but this year they decided against it.



I have mixed feelings because 1- the set menu for vegetarians is horrible, 2- the minimum anyone is going to get away with paying is £10 on top of what the employer pays (could easily be more depending on what you drink)...to hang out with co-workers we don''t necessarily get along with outside of work. But I do understand that the party is held during work hours so that time is paid and it is nice that they do something for the holiday. I think it''d be worse if it were ignored all together.



Your party is too expensive, Gwen. £10-15 is fine when drinks are included, but anything over that is just too much.

I know, that''s why I''m not going. I''m sure it''ll be fun, but £33pp fun? Seriously doubt it.


Yeah, I can understand your mixed feelings about it. If I was paid to be there, I''d want to go too, although I might feel slightly odd about having to pay too. Dunno. Is it usually an ok time?

This is my first year with this company, and I''m not going. I booked holiday some time ago. I''ll tell you next year

.

The last place I was with for two Christmases had us pay our own way to a dinner and then gave us gift cards to someplace. I hated it. The dinner was on a Friday night, partners couldn''t come, and I think I paid about £30-35. I tried to get out of going, but couldn''t, it was mandatory. The giftcard was a £40 to M&S. Worst place for me for a gift card. I''ve used it to buy bras and socks! With the way the old place did it, anything seems better!

I don''t blame you for not going!

 

[kittybean]

As a part-time contract worker at the moment, heck no. Even in the permanent job I''m waiting for, I don''t believe there are any holiday gifts or parties of any sort (government job).

FI gets his annual bonus around the holidays, but it is performance-related. Their billing year ends in November, so the bonuses are divvied up in December. His firm also throws a heck of a holiday party, and we both get to go for free, which I enjoy. Last year, he got a few surprise gifts from some of the partners he worked the most for, but I don''t believe he gave out any gifts.

 

[sugary]

My dad has always thrown a party for the people who work for him. I work for him so I get to plan it- that''s my gift. I actually enjoy doing this so it is a gift. Plus I get the time off from work to plan it.

For the people who are permanent (on the payroll) he always gives a bonus based on the number of years they have been with us. For contract workers( only the regulars who work on a contract basis or by the job) they get to come to the party and a they get a gift (I usually pick up something from Swarovski - the annual Christmas ornament or something along those lines). We also do 3 special gifts (2 tickets to Broadway play of choice, dinner for 2, and limo service to and from). The entire staff each year decides who the recipients are by voting for their coworkers in 3 categories:

1. Worked their "A''s off" to complete a project

2. Showed great control in front of difficult clients (and there are many- difficult clients that is)

3. Came to work no matter what.

(Needless to say I have never won and I always ask why and everyone just laughs after my dad makes some wierd remark like "Is the ice cold enough?" I still don''t know what is so funny about that. Can someone explain it to me.)

Well.. so you see I am planning the party right now so I must get out of here now.

 

[Miscka]

Date: 12/4/2008 12:25:05 PM
Author: sugary
My dad has always thrown a party for the people who work for him. I work for him so I get to plan it- that''s my gift. I actually enjoy doing this so it is a gift. Plus I get the time off from work to plan it.


For the people who are permanent (on the payroll) he always gives a bonus based on the number of years they have been with us. For contract workers( only the regulars who work on a contract basis or by the job) they get to come to the party and a they get a gift (I usually pick up something from Swarovski - the annual Christmas ornament or something along those lines). We also do 3 special gifts (2 tickets to Broadway play of choice, dinner for 2, and limo service to and from). The entire staff each year decides who the recipients are by voting for their coworkers in 3 categories:


1. Worked their ''A''s off'' to complete a project


2. Showed great control in front of difficult clients (and there are many- difficult clients that is)


3. Came to work no matter what.


(Needless to say I have never won and I always ask why and everyone just laughs after my dad makes some wierd remark like ''Is the ice cold enough?'' I still don''t know what is so funny about that. Can someone explain it to me.)


Well.. so you see I am planning the party right now so I must get out of here now.

Maybe it is a reference to heck freezing over? LOL.

Your office Christmas sounds really nice!

 

[Elmorton]

Me? No - sometimes my department chair or a secretary will stick a holiday card in my mailbox, and I think that''s very kind of them.

DH used to get a $20 g.c from his previous job - usually to somewhere really general, like the mall or a grocery store. His new job does not do a company-wide gift, but his boss gave out a $20 gc to a restaurant/bar last year.

 

[MishB]

I get a payrise (10%) and a 5 grand bonus, but not at Christmas. We have a big company-wide party which is drinks, finger food and entertainment, then a Christmas lunch at a ritzy restaurant for head office which includes an open bar all afternoon and into the night. Then a hefty gourmet hamper including a bottle of French champagne. No complaints!