To keep all the money?

[Yourcatisnotsorry]

My employer pays bonuses for recruitment referrals, a few thousand.

I was approached by an ex-colleague who was recently fired from our old (joint) employer about a vacancy we had. I recommended them for it internally, basically wrote an email to the hiring manager. Advised them on the process, gave interview and salary negotiation advice. I kept quiet that they’d been fired from the old company though would have been honest had anyone asked. They got the job and I’ve been paid the bonus. The custom in our old (joint) workplace was to share the bonus between the two parties, but that’s not the custom here. It’s paid only to me but the new starter indicated they expect half.

aibu to keep it all?

Surely your reward is the bonus and their reward is the job?

I got someone a very nice bottle of wine out of my referral bonus. If we'd been working in the office I would have got them a nice lunch somewhere, that's the limit from me, don’t care what other people had done in the past

I never never ever would refer someone who I know had been fired from a previous job, especially one who is now trying to get cash out of me

Referral bonuses are paid via payroll and tax due deducted in the usual way. But also, way to miss the point of the thread.

I am not sure what the new starter thinks they have done to earn half the bonus. I think the fact that you knew they had been fired is a bigger worry. Money is nice but your good reputation is much more precious.

What did they get fired for? It must have been something fairly serious because it's actually quite difficult to sack someone these days, unless they've only been in the job a short time.

Unless you don't actually mean fired, but let go for some reason outside their control.

Good point. There is no recourse for HR to pay it back if they quit/get fired etc.

I don’t think they’d get fired for not disclosing they got fired from the last company unless they lied about it which i doubt they did but can’t be certain.

they said ‘when will our referral joining payment come in’. I’ve not replied yet.

I do understand your point, the firing was not for misconduct but rather had been promoted into a role they weren’t suited to. They should do much better in the role at new place as it’s their core skill set.

Yes it was encouraged to leave with a severance package rather than an actual escorted off the premises actual sacking. Just sub par performance in a role they weren’t really suited to. I think they will perform better here as a better match to skills and experience.

Thanks for all your replies and votes. Results will help me sleep a bit better at night and I’ve booked in a celebration lunch which I will pay for.