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AIBU?

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Original poster

Would you split the money?

126 replies

BridgertonLady · 16/01/2023 19:30

If you referred a good friend for a job in your company, they got it and you were paid a fee of £5K would you keep it or split it 50/50?

I’m in this position now and I’m going to split it (friend has no idea about the fee) but I told a colleague and they were quite shocked.

OP posts:
Tinkerbyebye · 16/01/2023 20:46

£5k I would probably split, £500 probably not

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 16/01/2023 20:47

Are you being taxed it? If so make sure you take that into account when splitting in.

Gronkle · 16/01/2023 20:47

I've done this and I d kept the money, that's how it is positioned by my company. Referral fee is for the referee, the refered has a nice new job.

theGooHasGone · 16/01/2023 20:47

There's a lot of risk involved in referring people to your employer. £5k is reasonably generous, so the position is probably well paid and as such there's even more risk involved.

If they turn out to be an awful employee and end up costing the company money for whatever reason, it's going to reflect pretty badly on you as you referred them. If the job turns out to be terrible and isn't what it's promised to be, your friend is probably going to think you weren't totally honest with them and is likely to think you wasted their time. As such, the referral bonus is a reward for taking these risks in the first place.

I wouldn't be splitting it 50/50, but I'd take the person out for a nice dinner and give them a gift of some kind to say thank you. I suspect many people wouldn't even admit that there was a referral bonus.

Marmight · 16/01/2023 20:50

You will have to pay tax and NI on it so it won't be £5k anyway

Ringading123 · 16/01/2023 20:56

My friend got me a job, have no idea if she got a referral bonus but I would never expected or accepted any mention of giving me any of it. I was grateful for her getting me the interview that led to the job.
I treated her to say thank you.

AutumnSquill · 16/01/2023 21:00

I got my current job through a referral from a friend - I'm more than happy for him to keep any referral bonus as he did me a big favour.

Madamecastafiore · 16/01/2023 21:01

I'd keep it. I got them a job after all.

Cherrysoup · 16/01/2023 21:13

SleepingStandingUp · 16/01/2023 20:42

Well you've not ensured they got the post tho, they have? Surely they're not taking them on without interview? If they sit there belching and answering yeah, maybe, to every question you're not going to be 5k richer

Show quote history

OP made it sound like a done deal.

ForFuckSteak · 16/01/2023 21:15

Lol would I bollocks

GoAgainstNicki · 16/01/2023 21:16

I’d split it. You wouldn’t have got the fee without them doing so well in the interview anyway

butterfliedtwo · 16/01/2023 21:18

I wouldn't. But I would buy dinner to celebrate the new job.

Original poster
BridgertonLady · 16/01/2023 21:21

ButterCrackers · 16/01/2023 20:45

You qualify for the bonus so do take it. Why would you split it? You could refuse it. If it bothers you why not give it to charity.

When did I say it bothered me?

I just never considered keeping it but colleague friend seemed kind of shocked by that.

OP posts:
Original poster
BridgertonLady · 16/01/2023 21:23

Marmight · 16/01/2023 20:50

You will have to pay tax and NI on it so it won't be £5k anyway

No I would get £5K

OP posts:
roses2 · 16/01/2023 21:24

Is it £5k minus tax? Check before you promise your friend!

ICanHideButICantRun · 16/01/2023 21:43

Why would you split it? I could understand if eg your friend was returning to work after a long period of unemployment and you wanted to help her get back on her feet and buy some new clothes, etc, but if she's going from one job to this job then I wouldn't do it at all. I'd perhaps take her out for a meal, that's all.

My DIL works for a similar firm and none of them would split it - it's their treat!

vivaespanaole · 16/01/2023 21:44

I split it when I referred someone-it was a much smaller amount though. Just felt like the right thing to do.

When someone referred me-they did very well out of it. And they did treat me to sth small. I was absolutely bare bones of my arse skint at the time-and she was quite well off. I had wondered if she would split it as thought it was the done thing. Never said anything as it was hers and not worth falling out over.

TedMullins · 16/01/2023 21:45

Tinyant · 16/01/2023 19:40

No I’m obviously a selfish person as I don’t think I’d even consider it! You sound a nice friend though

Same here. It wouldn’t cross my mind to split it!

RedCarsGoFaster · 16/01/2023 21:48

I wouldn't split it, no. It's your money. If your friend refers someone, they also get that fee and have the option to do the same.

Keep your money. Buy friend a nice bouquet of flowers.

whirlyswirly · 16/01/2023 21:52

Having been badly burnt by this kind of scheme totally out of the blue by a former friend, I wouldn't now refer a friend for twice that. I also don't think these kind of schemes can work in anything but big organisations.

Hope it all works out in your case! I'd probably offer to split it to avoid any awkwardness when it comes out.

PoIIyPandemonium · 16/01/2023 21:54

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

GettingItOutThere · 16/01/2023 21:57

id give her 1k tops. But no way woudl i split it!!

Norma27 · 16/01/2023 21:58

I was offered a job just pre covid after being referred by someone who was a partner. I’m sure he got something even though the jjob offer was withdrawn as a result of covid. 18 months later the person who would have been my boss called and asked if I was still free and to email my cv. I have never asked but I presume she got the bonus this time. I was happy for the job and never expected anything either time.

Norma27 · 16/01/2023 21:59

I had been out of work 8 yrs. Never thought of expecting part of the recruitment bonus x

blacktreacles · 16/01/2023 22:03

I wouldn’t split if I was going to have to pay tax on the full amount.