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Original poster

Referral bonus

28 replies

streatly · 09/08/2022 13:46

I started a new job and a friend referred me for the job. The work offer a £300 bonus for bringing in new staff. My friend left the job himself a few weeks after I started whilst I was as still in my probation period. Work are refusing to pay my friend the bonus because he left before my probation period ended and have even tried denying remembering my friend referring me. It feels like they are just trying to wriggle out of paying it. I asked for the terms and conditions but they just told me the reasons I've just mentioned. Is this right?

OP posts:
MintJulia · 09/08/2022 13:50

Firstly, it isn't your problem.

Your friend should have made sure the £300 was in his final pay packet. Referral payments encourage employees to refer their friends and is a good way of keeping recruitment costs low. But he's left, so paying him won't encourage him to refer anyone else. Why would they pay him now (apart from it being the decent thing to do)? They don't lose anything by not paying him.

Original poster
streatly · 09/08/2022 13:54

I feel they cheated my friend, that bothers me. They are a good friend. It makes me question if I want to stay working there.

OP posts:
alwaysmovingforwards · 09/08/2022 13:58

What do the referral bonus terms and conditions say?

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 09/08/2022 14:02

It's a non contractual incentive and he doesn't work there anymore so it is completely reasonable that he wouldn't get it.

Generally referral incentives are paid after the new employee has successfully completed probation therefore justifying the incentive because you bought in a good employee.

So if he wanted the incentive he needed to stay till it was paid.

chipsandpeas · 09/08/2022 14:05

my work do a referral bonus and its not paid until probation is passed and you still work for the company

Original poster
streatly · 09/08/2022 14:06

My friend had to leave due to mental health issues, it seems unfair.

OP posts:
TheFlis12345 · 09/08/2022 14:08

It’s pretty standard to only pay a referral fee to someone still working for the company once probation is passed.

Mumdiva99 · 09/08/2022 14:10

If you want to co ti ue working in a productive environment then leave this alone. It's not your bonus and not your issue. If you don't want to stay working for the company then hand in your notice.

Strikesagain · 09/08/2022 14:31

Mumdiva99 · 09/08/2022 14:10

If you want to co ti ue working in a productive environment then leave this alone. It's not your bonus and not your issue. If you don't want to stay working for the company then hand in your notice.

This

Jalisco · 09/08/2022 17:58

streatly · 09/08/2022 13:54

I feel they cheated my friend, that bothers me. They are a good friend. It makes me question if I want to stay working there.

That's your perogative. But it's not your business so stay out of it.

It seems unlikely that a bonus would be paid simply on referring people - otherwise it would be possible to introduce 200 friends who stayed a week.

Hoppinggreen · 09/08/2022 17:59

Put yourself first.
If it’s a good job and you like it done jeopardise it for the sake of £300 that you aren’t even getting

purpleme12 · 09/08/2022 18:01

Well it might well be true.
I don't think it's very unreasonable to not pay it if he's left before you've finished your probation really.
So I can see it being true

Ariela · 09/08/2022 18:15

This is a normal condition of a referral payment.

TartanGirl1 · 09/08/2022 18:22

I think it is normal not to get payments like this if you leave.

Not unfair at all, it's standard.

Crazycrazylady · 09/08/2022 20:50

Policies are policies on stuff like this. Certainty not worth you blotting your copy book with on your new employer.

Original poster
streatly · 09/08/2022 22:22

He left because of mental health issues, it feels like a further kick to my friend who was really struggling at that time. Also we are talking about a matter of days between them leaving and my probation ending. Though I never had a formal end to my probation, it just never came up.

OP posts:
Jalisco · 10/08/2022 08:00

streatly · 09/08/2022 22:22

He left because of mental health issues, it feels like a further kick to my friend who was really struggling at that time. Also we are talking about a matter of days between them leaving and my probation ending. Though I never had a formal end to my probation, it just never came up.

None of that is relevant. If this is what the policy is - and it's usually the case - then the rules are the rules. There are no exceptions because someone had a good reason to leave. There are always good reasons for everything, and if you ignore the rules for them there is no point in having rules.

It also isn't uncommon for probation to simply come to an end without anything formal.

This really isn't your business. Stay out of it.

MissMaple82 · 10/08/2022 09:19

As unfair as it is its completely legit. You'd both need to be employed at the point of probationary period ending. He shouldn't have left until your probation. This is common knowledge

Cantstandbullshit · 05/09/2022 22:30

streatly · 09/08/2022 13:54

I feel they cheated my friend, that bothers me. They are a good friend. It makes me question if I want to stay working there.

They did not cheat him, the policy will have clearly stated the terms and he read and agreed to them so not sure why you’re the one her angry on his behalf.

Same way many companies will state you still have to employed to get annual performance bonus on the day of payment.

Cantstandbullshit · 05/09/2022 22:32

streatly · 09/08/2022 14:06

My friend had to leave due to mental health issues, it seems unfair.

Again no it doesn’t and because he has mental issues does not change the policy.

He or she now needs to focus on getting better not getting angry about the bonus which will not be received based on the terms he or she agreed to.

Cantstandbullshit · 05/09/2022 22:36

streatly · 09/08/2022 22:22

He left because of mental health issues, it feels like a further kick to my friend who was really struggling at that time. Also we are talking about a matter of days between them leaving and my probation ending. Though I never had a formal end to my probation, it just never came up.

You continue to repeat the same thing while ignoring peoples comments.

It does not matter if he left a few days or a few hours before, the policy says he must be employed on the day of payment simple. And if that makes you want to quit then that would be your decision but that would not make sense unless you didn’t like the job in the first place.

Was he aware he was a few days away? Could he have hung or took time off sick to remain employed?

Cantstandbullshit · 05/09/2022 22:37

streatly · 09/08/2022 22:22

He left because of mental health issues, it feels like a further kick to my friend who was really struggling at that time. Also we are talking about a matter of days between them leaving and my probation ending. Though I never had a formal end to my probation, it just never came up.

And to your point of no formal end to your probation, this will usual all be automated in the payment systems to trigger when you hit xx days of employment.

drpet49 · 05/09/2022 22:42

Is OP “the friend”?

ChicCroissant · 05/09/2022 23:14

For this kind of referral scheme, it is standard that the newbie has to pass their probationary period and that the employee who recommended them is still in employment themselves (some schemes will specify that the recommending employee is not in their notice period either).

The company don't seem to be cheating anyone on what you've said so far.

vileta · 05/09/2022 23:30

My work gives bonuses only to existing employees after their referral pass approbation. They can't not adhere if that's their policy