When to discuss salary - before or after ML?

[posypom]

I'm due to start a year of ML in June, which also happens to coincide with my next salary review. Should I hold off discussing salary until I return after ML (as I might also want to discuss flexible/PT working etc.) or should I discuss it before I go off so that the value I'm bringing to the company is still fresh in my boss's mind? Or both??

To add to this, I'd also be due a performance-related bonus in December while I'll be off, but a lot of the ground work for achieving my targets will already have been set in motion by the time I go off. Where do I stand on that?

I work for a small company and the person who deals with HR is rubbish so I doubt I'd be able to get much useful help from them.

I'd really appreciate any advice!

Definitely before.

Ask for a 'performance review'. During the review if they don't mention a payrise then you need to bring it up, explicitly. Say how you have performed compared with previous years and that, given this, you are expecting a payrise to reflect this and ask them what pay rise they will be proposing? When they have dealt with that, and told you the figure then you need to follow on by asking them to confirm that you will be eligible for a pro-rated bonus in December to reflect your 6mth contribution to the revenue process for this year.

Hi StillSquiffy, Thanks for the advice.

Are they within their rights to just deny me any bonus at all based on the fact that I won't be there for 5 or 6 of the 12 months? I won't be there when the sales figures come in which will determine whether I am eligible for my bonus and there is a chance the figures won't reach my target so I don't want to kick up a huge fuss as it might end up being moot anyway. But at the same time I obviously don't want to miss out on a bonus that I'm due.

My company has a terrible track record of "forgetting" to pay bonuses and payrises so even if I am due a bonus I know it'll be up to me to make sure they actually pay it to me.

No, they're not in their rights to deny a bonus just because you are not there, although it is a horribly grey area. Much of it depends on the specifics of the employment contract details but in essence if it is 'discretionary' then you must be paid a pro-rated portion (at least, sometimes people have fought and won a full year bonus).

It is only if it is effectively part of your salary that it can be foregone because you are on OML (but that is very rare, and only if they effectively pay everyone the same % or amount every year and there are no discretionary elements).

Of course, that doesn't mean that all employers pay it. There are lots of employers that mess up here.

That's good to know. I'll make an appointment with my boss to review my salary like you suggest and go from there.
Thanks for your help!